Wait For It?
by WeirdChick798465132
Summary: Philip Hamilton meets Theodosia Burr at a party and they decide to see each other behind their fathers' backs. Will they be able to keep their secret from their families and stay together through thick and thin? Burr does not kill Hamilton. Philip and Theodosia both survive, instead of dying before they're thirty. Despite my wishes, I do not own Hamilton.
1. Chapter 1

Though the atmosphere was very lovely, a young Philip Hamilton was having trouble enjoying himself. He was at a dance that his father had made him attend, for purposes of keeping his public reputation and possibly finding a suitable bride. The time was just around eleven o'clock when the young man wanted to head home and call it a night. Then, he caught a glimpse of something that interested him.

It was a young woman, possibly slightly younger than himself. Her long dark hair reached just past her elbows, framing her elegant face with a slight smile on her lips. To the average person, she would be considered nothing special. But, with beauty in the eye of the beholder, she made the rest of the room disappear to Philip, as though she was a siren casting her spell.

Philip, being a naturally shy lad, was at war with himself. His insecurities begged him to stay away and admire her from afar, while his more daring side wanted to introduce himself. He was torn. He thought of his father, Alexander, who would push him to catch her eye. Of course, it had been in a setting like this that Alexander had met Philip's mother way back in 1780. He'd want the same for his son.

During his inner civil war, he became entranced in the girl's beauty. He barely noticed her moving her eyes to meet his own until their gazes locked, causing a slight blush to spread across Philip's cheeks. The girl gave him a smile, waving. He knew he had to go over there now.

Making his way through the crowd of people, he kept his eye on this woman. He knew she saw him coming, and she didn't make any move to escape. _So far, so good._

He stood in front of her, and she looked at him. Philip wanted to introduce himself, to say hello, or even to ask for her name. The only thing that was able to escape was "Would you like to dance, miss?"

The woman smiled, taking the hand he had offered to her. He tried to calm his nerves as he led her onto the dance floor. They danced, talking to each other in low whispers.

"My name's Philip Hamilton. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The woman visibly paled, but smiled nonetheless. "I'm Theodosia Burr. And the pleasure is all mine."

"Burr?" He nearly stopped, but forced his legs to continue dancing. "Do you happen to be related to Vice President Aaron Burr?"

Theodosia nodded, expecting this. "He's my father. What about you? Hamilton? As in, Alexander Hamilton?"

"He's my father," he said, slightly disheartened. Their fathers were complete enemies. For years, they had done everything in their power to ruin the other's political career. There's no way his father would approve of her, and even if he did, _her_ father would never approve of them being together once he found out who his father was. Philip didn't even want to consider the negative publicity this would attract for both of their families.

"You know this could never happen, then. _We_ can never-"

She cut him off. "Even if you're right, wouldn't it be nice to pretend? If only for tonight?"

Philip fell silent at this. She had a point, but why torture yourself with what _could_ be?

Theodosia continued. "Besides, my father is a reasonable man. If you want to give this a try, he should be able to understand that you're not your father. Surely your father would feel the same, right?"

"I'm not quite sure about that." He admitted. "My father's not the best man for reasoning."

"Still. Why not give it a try?"

He pondered this. "Perhaps we could meet behind their backs? Wait a little while before telling them?"

She seemed nervous at this thought, but agreed. "What harm could come from a few weeks of secrecy?"

"Possibly more than you could think."

"When would you have time for a meeting?"

"It would have to depend on the day." It was true that Philip was a fairly busy boy. Between his work and his classes at Columbia College, he didn't have a lot of time to himself. "I suppose I could meet you on Tuesday. Could you sneak out around 9?"

Theodosia nodded, giving him a gentle peck on the cheek as she pulled away. "I should go."

Philip looked at the clock, amazed at how much time had passed in the seemingly short span. He watched her go, worrying about what this could turn out to be. If their fathers were mad, it could prove disastrous for their families. After the incident with the Reynolds Pamphlet, the last thing the Hamiltons needed was more bad publicity. Not to mention all the trouble it could get him into.

Philip returned home not too long after, making his way home in the dark. Upon entering his house, he saw his parents waiting.

"We expected you back sooner," His father said without looking up.

Of course, Philip had said he would be back relatively soon. "I apologize, pa. The time got away from me."

"What happened that was so interesting?" Alexander didn't sound angry, or upset in the least. "A woman?" He knew his son rather well.

With only a slight nod, Philip went to his bedroom. He quickly passed out on top of the soft sheets, hoping everything would work itself out in the end.

It always does… _doesn't it?_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I'm sorry this took so long, but I kept procrastinating. I'm going to try to update every Wednesday, but I won't promise anything. I'm just a high school freshman, so don't expect too much.**

Tuesday came, but not as quickly as Philip would have liked it to. It was almost painstakingly slow for the young Hamilton. He couldn't stop himself from thinking about Theodosia. No matter where he was, his thoughts drifted back to her smiling face and gorgeous dark hair.

Home? He had snapped out of his thoughts when his mother gently shook him out of it to join their dinnertime conversation. His father would just give a somewhat knowing and teasing grin. If only he really knew who she was.

School? He had found himself spacing out during lectures, only realizing his mistake when he had to have a friend explain the material to him.

On Tuesday, Philip was at their secret meeting place at 8:30. He could seem to calm his nerves. _Am I supposed to be this jittery?_ He pondered this question, so much so that he didn't notice a certain lady join him.

"Philip," She said with a smile, giving him a small wave. He felt blood rush to his cheeks as he waved back, returning her smile.

Philip gingerly took her hand, stroking the fair skin with his thumb a little bit before raising her hand to his lips. She grinned at this, if not a bit flustered.

"How have you been, beauté?" He almost whispered. They weren't in the most private of places. Where would they be able to sneak off to that wasn't one of their houses? And that would be much too risky to even consider.

"My life has been crazy. But I suppose I should be used to it by now. It's only gotten worse since my father became the vice president." She let her hair fall loose, and he watched her hair cascading down her back as if it were an inky black waterfall.

Philip leaned back, letting his weight be supported by a tree trunk. They had decided to hide in plain sight. They were at a public park, with only eight or so trees hiding them from the public eye. Of course, it was dark outside and not many people were out at this time of night. Even if they were, why would they pay any mind to two kids in the trees? Besides possibly assuming the worst, what would they do? They more than likely wouldn't get close enough to see who they were.

They conversed for a while, their babbling covering a variety of topics. He couldn't help but notice the way her eyes lit up when he spoke of his siblings.

"How many do you have?"

"Seven," The lad replied, "Two sisters and five brothers. What about you?"

She looked away at this, letting her eyes wander to the scattered leaves covering the ground. "It's complicated… My father has two bastard children, as well as my mother having five children before me with another man. I don't consider them siblings, but…"

"What is your mother like? I know plenty about your father, but I haven't heard much about her." Philip asked, hoping to erase the awkwardness. He hadn't known he had hit a sore spot.

"Deceased." She said simply, trying not to make him feel bad for asking. "Seven years ago."

"I'm deeply sorry," He offered, knowing it must hurt to think about. Both of his parents were still alive, so he hadn't lived through it. He didn't like to imagine losing either of them, either. He snaked an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. He could feel her hot breath on his neck, and a few loose strands of her hair tickled his cheek.

The late-night autumn air had begun to turn chilly, and he could feel the goosebumps on her bare arms. Without a second thought, he slipped off his jacket and wrapped it around her.

She thanked him, sighing a bit in relief. She hadn't brought any covering, thinking she wouldn't be gone this long. Surely it had to be nearly eleven thirty. "We should be getting home soon, though, it's getting-"

Theodosia stopped midsentence, hearing a very audible _crunch_ , the way the leaves sounded when stepped on. Who would be out here at this hour? More importantly, who would be this close to them?

Philip had heard it too, and he looked around, hoping to locate the source of the noise. He saw nothing. "Maybe it was just an animal," He murmured. But they both knew that noise was too loud to be anything but human-made. Once again, the young man's eyes scanned the area around them, trying to make any sort of figure. No such luck.

Slowly, they calmed down. It was nothing, right? It had to be nothing. What could possibly be stalking them? They were just being paranoid.

Despite his best efforts, Philip couldn't stop himself from occasionally glancing around. "Maybe it is about time to get home. Let me walk you."

"Are you sure that's sa-"

He cut her off. "I would rather have us figured out and you return safely than possibly subject you whatever kind of person would wander this late. Heaven knows what they would do to a pretty girl like you."

She didn't want to argue at this, since he was right. The idea of walking home alone in this darkness frightened her.

She agreed, and they turned to leave. But they heard it again. A seemingly innocent _crunch_ that made both of their stomachs flip inside of them. Philip sucked in a breath and held it, hearing nothing more than the slight rustle of the leaves in the trees as the wind blew. Their only light was the moon, shining at almost a full phase.

Then he saw it. A dark figure, about as tall as he was, emerging from the darkness.

Philip's first instinct was to pull Theodosia closer, and he did just that, protectively snaking an arm around her waist.

The figure stepped closer, giving them just enough light for Philip to make out who it was.

"What are you doing here?!" The words left Philip's mouth, and he knew this wouldn't turn out well.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I was late at updating again. I'm really sorry. My laptop wasn't letting me on yesterday. I know, excuses, excuses.**

"I could ask you the same thing, Hamilton." The man sneered. "Of course, it seems to be quite obvious. Sneaking around behind daddy's back, are we?"

"You have no business here, George. Get out."

Theodosia didn't know the man, but she could tell he was a fair bit older than either of them. Possibly close to a decade older. But Philip seemed to know him. She didn't know whether to feel relief or anxiety knowing that.

George as holding a lantern down at waist level, but raised it. This gave Theodosia a much clearer view of his face. He looked vaguely familiar, she just couldn't put her finger on where she had seen him before.

"Philip, we should be going…" She said, hoping this wouldn't escalate past the awkwardness of their current situation.

"We can't. This is George Eacker, do you know how fast he could spread the word? Not to mention, he hates me. I can't afford to just leave him with something like this," He replied in a harsh whisper, never taking his eyes off of the other man.

George Eacker didn't seem too concerned about what the younger man had in store. He seemed amused, actually. He watched the couple in front of him intently, a smug smirk gracing his features.

"This is the vice president's daughter, isn't it? Looks like there are two naughty kids out past their bedtimes. Tsk, tsk." He looked off into the trees, praying that he didn't see any other people. To all three of their reliefs, nobody was there. "Listen, I could just run off and tell everybody tomorrow when the sun rises. But I'm not going to do that."

Philip furrowed his eyebrows, having known nothing good was going to come of this conversation. Nothing good for him and Theodosia, anyway. "What do you want?"

The older man chuckled softly. "Now, why does there have to be a catch?"

"Cut the impediment. You and I both know you're not keeping this secret out of the kindness of your heart," Philip snarled, trying to stop himself from charging the man. He himself was unarmed, and he had no idea was George could have on him. And he knew Eacker would surely tell the entire town in a heartbeat if he did anything too rash. This was parlous business, and Philip knew it. "It's as good as fact that you're after some atonement."

"Perhaps," The older man began, "You could do me a small favor. I'm certain you are more than aware of my upcoming duel with a certain Mister Richard Price."

"How could I not be?" Philip sighed a little, worried for his friend.

"You stay away from that fight. If I catch you so much as within a mile of that duel, the whole town will know about this before you can say 'Weehawken.'" Despite the slightly humorous phraseology, his tone was deadly serious.

Philip nodded, knowing Richard would never ask him to be his second anyway. Besides, with the addition of this, observing that fight could prove more dangerous than participating.

"I've heard that you're a man of your word, Hamilton. I suppose I'll be able to see the truth for myself," Eacker said gravely, before turning on his heel and walking off. The leaves crumpled underneath him as he marched, never once looking back at the couple.

"Duel?" Theodosia inquired when she worked up the courage. She tried to read his face to see if she had struck a sore spot, but Philip's expression remained constant.

"Eacker's said some things. Richard and I don't agree. We've both challenged him to duels. I'm set to fight him the day after Richard does."

This statement left Theodosia's mouth agape, trying to absorb what she had been told. "Philip. I would have thought you were above such a thing."

"He made appalling comment toward my father. I'm a Hamilton, and we don't just let that fly. I have to do it. For his honor. And mine as well."

"You could be hurt." She mumbled, trying not to let so much emotion sneak its way into her voice. Her failure was obvious. "You could die, Philip."

"If you want me to back out, forget it." He said coldly, though it hurt him to speak to her in such a manner. "I can't. I can't be thought a coward. That would be worse than not even challenging him to begin with."

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree," Theodosia said. "My father has told me your father is like you. So worried about your public image, sometimes more so than your true personal life. Love, political, educational; all cast away when your image is jeopardized."

Philip fell silent, wishing he could argue. But he couldn't. He knew she was right and that it would be foolish to try.

 _"_ _I swear, your pride will be the death of us all."_

He could remember being nine years old, listening to his father telling him about being told those same words. By Aaron Burr, nonetheless!

Philip could recall receiving varied versions of that same statement, one being from his own mother. It was true, that he and his father were two of a kind in that aspect.

After swallowing the lump in his throat, he offered to take her home. To this, she just smiled and said, "We've already lost all hope of sleep for tonight. Why stop on the account of a simple interloper?"

He could see a spark in her eye. Troublemaking, danger, secrecy, who knew? All he knew for sure was that he wasn't complaining.

Theodosia took Philip by the hand and pulled him out of their ring of trees.

"Do you have a lantern you could steal from your house?" She asked him as they took to the streets.

"Yes. There's one in my parents' bedroom. I suppose we could sneak in and grab it."

"We? Do you know how much trouble we're in if we're caught together?"

"You're a fool if you think I'm leaving a pretty woman like you outside. Alone. This late." He took her hand and turned at the corner, leading her in the direction of his house. "Most of my family consists of heavy sleepers. We'll be okay if we're quiet." He let go of her hand and snaked an arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

They stopped in front of a house. It was a decent size, but Theodosia was sure sneaking around in it could be difficult. They sneaked up to the front door, and Philip produced a key from his pocket. Sticking it into the key hole, the door creaked open. The sound was seemingly magnified tenfold by the quiet night.

Philip walked in, discernibly unconcerned. Theodosia followed closely behind, a bit unnerved.

"Stay here," He whispered. "I'll go to my parents' room. I'll be right back, I promise."

With that, he went to find his parents' room, leaving Theodosia standing in an unfamiliar living room in a house full of people who hated her father.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I'm sorry this chapter sucks so badly. I got horrible writer's block while trying to write this. I'm a tad ashamed of it.  
** **Thank you all for all of your reviews. Reading them makes me really happy.**

Philip quickly moved through the house in the dark, knowing exactly where he was going. He knew the house better than he knew himself, having lived in it his entire life. Dodge the table there, beware of the chair here, and avoid the squeaky floorboard right next to the counter. It was easy. Eventually, he came to the end of the hallway, where he knew his parents' room was. He blindly felt for the doorknob, finding it with little difficulty.

He cautiously opened the door, thankful that the squeak in it had been fixed just a week earlier. He slipped his shoes off and held them in one hand as his socked feet muffled his footsteps. He grabbed the lantern his father kept on his nightstand, never taking his eyes off of Alexander's sleeping form. He knew Eliza was staying the night with her sister after a particularly bad fight with his father. That was getting all too common, ever since his affair.

He turned to leave, his shoes in one hand and the lantern in the other. He safely got out of his the room, muffling the _click_ of the shutting door as much as he could. His heart rushed as he saw the door of the room he shared with two of his brothers open. None of the boys in the house liked the door open when they slept. If the door was open, at least one boy was awake. And Philip was certain he had shut the door when he left to sneak out.

"Philip?" His heart nearly stopped as his younger brother appeared at the doorway. "What are you doing out of bed?" This was Alexander Jr., the second eldest son of the Hamiltons. He was four years younger than Philip, and a lot more mischievous. Why did _he_ have to be the one still awake?

"Nothing, Alex," Philip lied through his teeth, standing in the door frame. The last thing he needed was his brother leaving the room and finding Theodosia in the front room. "Why are you still up?" He desperately tried to change the subject, praying that his sibling would keep his mouth shut.

"I couldn't sleep. That's all. Now, answer my question before I wake dad up." The threat made Philip's blood run cold. He couldn't imagine how much trouble he would be in if he was figured out.

"If I tell you the truth, will you go back to bed? And keep your lips sealed?" Philip bit his lip, wishing he didn't have to sneak out the one night his brother had trouble sleeping. But a realization hit him. He hadn't left extremely late. He had only waited long enough for James, his thirteen year-old brother who also shared that room, to pass out. Then he left the house, assuming Alex had done the same.

"You saw me sneak out," He stated. It wasn't a question. "You were waiting for me. You _wanted_ to bust me sneaking out."

"Maybe, maybe not. But just tell me what you were doing, and I'll consider not telling dad." Philip really wanted to knock the smug smirk off of his younger brother's face. Given his position, though, that wouldn't be a smart move.

"Okay, I was sneaking around with a girl," Philip confessed. " _Please_ don't tell dad."

"Mmm," His brother didn't seem satisfied quite yet. "What's her name?"

"Theodosia," Philip said, completely honest. That was one upside of being busted by Alex. He never really was the kid to really _listen_ to their father at the dinner table.

"What were you and this _Theodosia_ doing?" Alex asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

Philip lightly slapped his brother's arm. "Nothing like _that_." The thought of what his brother was implying brought a blush to the older man's face, and he was thankful it would be too dark to be noticed by the other.

Theodosia was still standing in the living room, nervously fingering the hem of Philip's jacket. He had been gone for a while. Had Alexander woken up? She briefly considered going to look for him before quickly deciding against it. So much could go wrong with that plan.

So, she was left in the front room, completely helpless. What if one of his family members woke up? Her thoughts wandered back to her own house, and whether or not her father had gotten up and noticed her missing. Probably not. It was still very dark out and, judging by how high the moon still was, they had a few more hours of darkness. But she knew her father was always awake when the sun rose.

Theodosia's breath caught in her throat as she faintly heard hushed whispers, almost sounding like an argument. She could only make out little snippets.

"-price."  
"-want something?"  
"Deal?"  
"-choice."

She stopped listening after this, hoping Philip would hurry back and they could just get out of there. To her relief, Philip quickly reappeared in the front room, putting his shoes back on. He had a lantern in his hand.

The two snuck back out of the house and into the crisp night air. Philip took long strides, leading Theodosia back to the park. Both of his hands were occupied: the right with the lantern, which cast a glow bright enough to allow the young couple to see easily, and the left laced with Theodosia's hand.

They took a seat on a wooden bench, and Theodosia rested her head on her lover's shoulder. "I wish it didn't have to be like this," She sighed.

Philip gave her hand a light squeeze. "It won't be for much longer, dear. I promise you that."

The young woman sat up, looking straight at Philip. There, in the mixture of moonlight and lantern light, she kissed him. Philip kissed her back, getting a bit of a thrill from the danger. In that moment, anything could happen. Aaron Burr himself could emerge from the bushes. George Eacker could be just hours away from telling the entire town what he had seen earlier that night. Alexander Jr. could be waking up their father and telling him everything. Still, they stayed lip-locked for a short while.

Pulling away, Philip really wished it could be different. He wished their fathers didn't hate each other. But that was how it was, like it or lump it. He kissed her one last time before making her lie in the grass with him.

"Just look at those three bright stars in a row," He told her, pointing to the referred place in the night sky. He was pointing out several constellations to her. "That's his belt."

She seemed amazed at each cluster of stars he pointed out. Her eyes lit up as she connected the dots. But Philip couldn't look at the stars for long without his eyes averting back to her, smiling with her hair a mess. He couldn't believe this was the same girl he had seen just days earlier, with the confidence and charm of an English noble.

Much to both of their dismays, the horizon was soon painted with various shades of pink and yellow, signaling the sun's future arrival. He walked her home, with her managing to get to her bedroom just before her father woke up.

Philip ran back to his house, knowing he couldn't do anything but get back quickly and hope the deal he had worked out with Alex was enough for the younger boy to keep his secret safe.

He got into the house in the same quiet manner he had just several hours earlier, and just had time to lay down in his bed and convincingly fake being asleep before his father knocked at their bedroom door. His brothers sat up in their beds, rubbing their eyes.

Philip was sure he was in the clear. He had truly pulled it off. One problem, though… The lantern was still right beside his bed, covered in dirt and small pieces of grass lying on the ground. His jacket was in the same condition, and his mother would certainly question that when laundry day rolled around…

There was also the issue of the younger teen who was currently smirking knowingly at him.


	5. Chapter 5

Philip leaned down and picked up a small pile of clothes off of the floor. He sighed a little, realizing it was all Alexander Jr.'s. Honestly, how lazy could one fifteen year-old be? He wanted to complain, but knew he couldn't. That was part of the deal.

Philip always knew his brother wasn't above blackmail. Blackmail had been a part of his younger brother's personality ever since he turned eight, and he usually wanted out of chores. It was annoying, sure, but Philip loved all of his siblings. He couldn't bear the thought of resenting them, even if it meant loving them despite all of their… 'quirks'.

Ever since he had been caught sneaking into the house, he had been forced to handle all of the younger teen's chores. He didn't mind terribly, as he had always been a workaholic, but it was still trying to see the contented smirk on his younger brother's face as he watched him clean up their room, take out the trash when it was Alex's day, or whatever else he had told his brother-turned-servant to do.

Sighing, Philip threw the clothes into the hamper. As he was doing so, he heard muffled shouting, as if there was a fight happening on the other side of the wall. It didn't surprise Philip, or any of the Hamilton children.

Philip quickly went downstairs, hearing a door slam on the way. He entered the front room to find only his father. "Pa, you're going to wake the young ones up…" It was about nine in the evening, and he knew his two-year old sister and four year-old brother were sound asleep a few rooms over. He also knew his nine year-old brother would be heading to bed around this time, and none of them would sleep a wink with this noise.

"I think your mother is going to her sister's house again… No need to worry about that." His father looked exhausted, and it was aging him past his years. He wasn't even fifty, but his once-auburn hair was now gray. The bags under his eyes showed his lack of sleep.

Philip felt bad for him. He didn't think his father was free from error; he had made a mistake. He had been severely paying for it, though.

More than anyone, the affair had taken its toll on the Hamilton children. The older ones would wake up in the night to the cries of the little ones, who had been woken up by their parents fighting. Philip had been forced to rock Elizabeth Jr. back to sleep in the middle of the night a total of three times in the past fortnight.

"Would it be all right if I took Elizabeth and went to Richard's?" He asked, not wanting to leave his youngest sister in that house, should his mother return and the fighting start again.

Not wanting to argue, his father let out a curt nod. Philip hugged him, promising, "I'll be back before noon." Alexander hugged back, trying not to lose control in front of his son.

Philip went to his little sister's room and opened the door. Making his way over to where she slept, he threw a few things into a bag. He wrapped the sleeping girl in a warm blanket before putting on his own jacket, and making his way out the door with the bag in hand.

Of course, he wasn't going to Richard's. He had enough to worry about without Philip turning up at his doorstep. Thanks to his lover's father's job, Theodosia was home alone. She had been the only child to stay behind, as someone needed to house-sit.

As Philip took the now all-too-familiar route, he held Eliza close to his chest. The toddler squirmed in his arms, but never woke up. He knocked on the door.

Theodosia let him in, having been expecting him to visit. What she didn't expect was him bringing his little sister. She didn't mind, though. What harm could such a young child do?

"I'm sorry, I had to bring her," He explained softly.

Theodosia shook her head, as if to say, 'Don't worry about it.' She led him to a spare bedroom right next to her own. "She can sleep here. We'll be able to here if she wakes up."

Philip nodded in thanks and kissed his sister's forehead before setting her down on the soft sheets. The girl half-opened her eyes, looking drowsy and confused.

"Go back to sleep, dear," Philip whispered, mimicking the soft voice his mother had used on him when he was younger. When Elizabeth had rolled over and her soft snoring resumed, he stood from the bed.

Theodosia had watched the whole display from the doorway, falling in love with him all over again. As he made his way over to her, she took his hand and brought him back into the front room.

"You look positively enervated, love," She whispered softly, slipping his jacket off of him and hanging it up. He only grumbled softly in response, wanting nothing more than to sleep. She locked the front door, deciding it was about time to head to bed anyway.

"Go to my room," She told him, thankful she had already changed into a nightgown. "I'll be in there in a moment."

"Are you sure?" He asked. "I thought you wouldn't want to share a bed so soon."

"I'm sure, Philip." She said, letting her hair down.

Philip did as she said, residing on her bed. He had just lied down when he was passed out, too tired to care anymore.

Theodosia chuckled softly as she took his shoes off of him, then lied next to him. She pulled a blanket over them both before she cuddled up to him, eventually falling asleep listening to his heart beating.

 **A/N: Just a little pointless fluff. I had no idea what to do with this chapter. I waited until Wednesday night to start it, though, so I guess that's what I get for procrastinating.**


	6. Chapter 6

Philip shivered as a crisp breeze cut through his coat, and he pulled it tighter around him. He nervously buried the toe of his boot in the thin layer of snow covering the ground, and it crunched under his foot. He was clutching the pistol in his hand so hard his knuckles were turning white as a pair of footsteps approached him.

Philip looked up, seeing the all too familiar face of George Eacker. He couldn't stop his eyes from floating to the pistol in the other man's grasp, fully loaded.

"Ready to forfeit, Mister Hamilton?" George sneered, running his thumb down the side of his weapon and wiping away the only small smudge on the surface.

"Never," Philip forced himself to say, trying to swallow the ever-growing lump in his throat. "What, are you scared?"

Eacker spat at the ground, narrowly missing Philip's boot with the glob. "Don't make me laugh, boy. Look at you, barely more than a sprout and trying to sound like a tough guy. I'm telling you, you should get out while you can."

"That won't be happening. Hamiltons don't back down." Philip mustered a glare, hoping he wasn't embarrassing himself.

Eacker almost shrugged, as if to express his apathy toward the younger man.

They stood back to back, and Philip held his breath. They counted out loud as they stepped apart, a large pace for each number. "One, two, three, four, five…" Philip's voice was starting to shake. It sounded pitiful mixed with the confident shouts of his opponent.

"Six." Philip was squeezing his gun so hard he worried he would accidentally fire the weapon.

"Seven." All he could hear was a loud _bang_ before a he felt a horrible pain in his hip. And then his arm. He fell to the ground, blood quickly drenching his clothes. He dropped his pistol on the way down.

He was already becoming lightheaded. The world began to fade to black.

"Philip, please… _Philip!"_ Philip recognized his father's voice as he woke up, a horrible pain spreading across his hip and arm.

He automatically felt horrible. His father had given his simple instructions, and he failed. He silently cursed himself. _Why can I never listen?_

"Pa… I'm so sorry. I failed you."

"You stop that right now, Philp. I'm very proud of you. From what I was told, there was cheating on Mr. Eacker's part."

Philip wanted to sulk, but Alexander moved along. "The doctor said there was no infection. Count your blessings for that, son."

"Is mom coming?" _What's Theodosia going to think?_

"Of course. She'll be here any minute."

"Could you not knock me down?"

"Could you get over yourself for two seconds?"

" _Boys._ Enough. Alexander, just help your brother."

Alexander Jr. helped Philip onto a chair, just as their mother had said. He had finally been let out, despite still not being able to walk without using someone as à human crutch. It was killing him. He hadn't seen Theodosia in two weeks and he missed her terribly.

"Just had to get yourself shot, huh?" Alex sneered, giving Philip a glare.

"Shut the f-"

" _Philip._ "

Philip shut up. Surely Theodosia was thinking of the worst. Why wouldn't she be? He wished he could go out and see her, but there was no way he could get there without help… Maybe.

After making his siblings made their way to bed, his father helped Philip to his bed. "Sleep well."

Philip only nodded sullenly, trying to keep his thoughts from wandering.

"You need to stop being so tough on yourself," Alexander sighed. "You did exactly what you should have. There's no honour in winning by cheating."

"I know, pa." Philip let his head settle on the soft pillow. "Good night…"

"Good night. Holler if you need anything." Philip listened to his father's retreating footsteps, as well as the _click_ of the bedroom door shutting. For a while, all he could hear was the breathing of his brothers, who were sleeping soundly in their own beds.

Philip rolled out of bed, muffling the whimpers from the ache rushing to the wound in his arm. He stumbled out of the door, paying no attention to the searing pains that went through his body.

For what felt like the millionth time, he snuck out. He made it fairly far before he collapsed, drained of all energy. He panted while lying in the grass, hoping his 'luck' streak would be expired.

He couldn't breathe. _I'm so stupid. I should have stayed home! What's wrong with me? Why must I always make dumb decisions?_ He mentally kicked himself, which had been becoming more and more natural these last few weeks.

Philip attempted to stand up, only to fall back down. Maybe someone would walk by and help him. Sure, he would get his butt kicked by his parents, but it would be a bit better than sleeping on the ground and just _maybe_ struggling home in the morning.

He lied there, struggling to stand up (to no avail) for what could have been an eternity. He was feeling dreadful and wanted nothing more than to drift off to sleep. He knew he couldn't, though. He didn't want to risk being asleep if the wrong person walked by. Of course, what could he do for defense in this state anyway?

It was quiet outside. Intensely quiet. Almost eerily quiet. Very little light was letting Philip see too far past his own nose. It was dolorous and even intimidating because of his physical state.

Finally, after what _must_ have been hours, he heard a pair of footsteps approaching him. He sat bolt upright, desperately searching the surrounding area. Finally, he saw a figure strolling leisurely.

"Excuse me?!" Philip half hollered. "Sir, will you please help me?!"

He nearly let out a sob of relief when they starting making their way over to him. As the figure got closer, he started to make out features. Philip thought they looked familiar, but it never clicked until he was right next to him.

This was bad. This was very, very bad.

The man didn't say anything as he helped him up, wrapping Philip's unwounded arm around his own shoulders.

Philip almost jumped when the man actually spoke. "You're Hamilton's boy, are you not?"


	7. Chapter 7

Theodosia was sure she was going crazy. She hadn't seen Philip in nearly a fortnight, and the worry was driving her out of her mind. He couldn't have gotten himself killed, surely…

She had been tempted to go over to his house and see him, whether his parents had something to say about it or not. She probably would have if her father hadn't been keeping her busy. Being the oldest, the most work had always been on her.

She tried to keep her thoughts off of him. It was difficult, though. Every time his face appeared in her mind, her throat would clog itself with concern.

Her hands were on autopilot as she cleaned the dishes, scrubbing every last crumb of food off of them. As her father appeared around the corner, she glanced at him. This wasn't good; he could read her so well.

"Are you okay?" Aaron asked, crossing his arms over his chest casually. "You've seemed… off, lately."

Theodosia only nodded, not looking at him. As she felt an arm wrap around her shoulders, she bit the inside of her lip nervously.

"You do know you can talk to me, right?" Her father's soft voice reached her ears, and she gave another brusque nod.

As he hugged her, she had to stop herself from choking. She wanted to tell him, talk to him, confess _everything_. But she didn't. She couldn't.

"How was work?" That was all she could think to do at the moment. Getting her father off topic proved to be an easy task.

"Same as always, I suppose. Jefferson has some new ideas to 'improve the economy.' He's a madman if you ask me."

Theodosia let him talk as she finished up the dishes. She had heard it all before, but anything that kept her from being the subject of discussion was fine with her.

She counted down the minutes of pointless small talk before her father had to leave for work. After he was out of the house, leaving her with only her siblings, she kept herself busy.

She couldn't take it anymore. The constant concern was eating at her from the inside out. Slipping on her coat, she stepped outside. She was pretty sure she knew where Richard lived… She didn't want to bother him, but she didn't have much of a choice if she wanted to focus on _anything_ else anytime soon.

She walked through the streets, pulling her coat around her tightly. When she came across a familiar house, she hesitated for a second before softly knocking on the door. It wasn't long before the door opened, and she saw Richard standing on the other side of the doorway.

She had met Richard a couple of times, when she hung out with Philip, but it had never been just the two of them. It was a little bit awkward, to say the least.

"Do you know if Philip is all right? Did he get hurt?" Her voice nearly broke as she questioned the man, expecting the worst.

"He got shot, but he's okay now. I tried to visit him early this morning, but he was gone. His parents think he left for work early, so he must be fine," Richard explained, watching the expression on Theodosia's face relax.

"... They think?" She pondered that last part for moment, hoping that his parents thought correctly.

"They think. All they said was that he was gone when they woke up. But apparently he's done that before, so they're not too worried. He's old enough to take care of himself. I'm sure he's fine."

"But they don't know-"

"Theodosia, calm down. Philip will kill me if I let you worry yourself to death."

 _Too late._

"If you're so worried, go to his house. Ask his parents."

"You know I can't do that."

With a sigh, Richard thought for a second before offering, "I'll go with you. I'll pretend to be with you. We can make it seem like I am the one worried about him. Alexander won't recognize you, will he?"

Theodosia shook her head. "He shouldn't. We have never met face-to-face."

"Well, then, why not?"

Theodosia nodded, having to admit it was a pretty decent plan. She was thankful Philip had such helpful friends.

After a quick chat, a polite refusal to stay for dinner, and almost too many close calls for slip-ups, they were gone. Theodosia had relaxed slightly, but she was still worried in the back of her mind. She'd always been told she worried too much.

"Thank you, Richard." Theodosia said truthfully as she got ready to head back home. Really, she couldn't trust a fourteen year-old to be left in charge much longer and her father was expected to be home in an hour.

"Anytime, Theodosia." The man gave her a bit of a smile before shutting the door softly. She walked home slowly, reaching the door of her house twenty minutes later.

The place wasn't in ruins and nobody seemed to be dead, so she considered this sneaking out a success. Nobody needed to know where she'd been.

Aaron came home almost exactly at the expected time. He was happy his daughter seemed to be feeling better, but he didn't have much time to spend with his kids that night. He ended up staying just long enough for dinner before wishing them a good night and going _back_ to work.

"I'm sorry, Theo." He whispered softly as he kissed her forehead. "I know you like me to be home. I would be if I could. This is only temporary, I promise."

"I know, dad." Theodosia hugged him, missing when her father wasn't the vice president. His schedule had been a lot more set-in-stone and predictable then. Now, she couldn't tell if he would be home at 4 PM or 4 AM until the morning of.

With Aaron gone, she could risk sneaking back out. She didn't want to, though. What would she do? Surely she couldn't go _back_ to the Hamiltons' place and ask if Philip was home. That would be too suspicious.

She ended up just retiring to bed early. Her head was pounding from the stress she knew she couldn't handle well. She was out like a light. And she was a heavy enough sleeper to miss the unmistakable _crash_ from downstairs.

 **A/N: Do you like fatherly Burr? I do. He gets so much crap from other fanfics. And I'm sorry for yet another cliffhanger. I don't know how else to end chapters.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: And now, back to Philip. (I know it's not Wednesday. I felt bad for leaving you at so many cliffhangers, so you get two chapters week.)**

"What are you doing out here at this hour?" The man sighed a little, bending down to help Philip up. He let the younger man wrap an arm around his shoulders and helped him stand. "I heard you got into a duel."

"That word got around?" Philip felt slightly disheartened.

"Like wildfire." The other man told him, walking the other man to his own place.

"Mister President…"

"Don't be so formal. Just call me Thomas."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for business. I have to stay for several weeks. I'll be back in Virginia as soon as I can be." He walked Philip back to a house that actually wasn't much bigger than his own.

After reaching this house, Thomas helped Philip onto the couch. It was cozy; a nice, one-person lodging.

"Are you feeling okay, kid?" He helped the younger man out of his shirt. "What are you doing out and about at one in the morning with _that_?"

Philip fell silent, realizing it a stupid plan after all. He decided to change the subject. "Why are you helping me?"

"What kind of person leaves an injured kid lying under a tree in the middle of the night?"

"I'm nineteen," Philip mumbled. He swore he saw Thomas roll his eyes.

"You're as bad as your father. 'Don't call me son…' Whiny brat." Thomas handed Philip a cup. It was filled with steaming hot tea. Philip drank so fast he nearly burnt his throat.

"I can assure you we're not that much alike… Mister President."

"I know you're probably not." Thomas sat across from him. "But, look at you! You are a carbon copy. Physically. I don't think anyone else could match that level of… " He trailed off with a slight groan.

"Pa wasn't kidding, then." Philip said. "You two hate each other. Even though he made you president."

"He did. And I appreciate that. But that will not cancel out everything else that pain the rear has done." The older man said simply.

Philip wanted to argue, but he held his tongue. _It's not a good idea to backsass the president._

"Anyway, kid, it's late. You need to get some sleep." Thomas threw a blanket onto Philip's lap. "I will take you back to your house in the morning."

"Can you… maybe not mention this 'lying under a tree at one in the morning' to my parents?"

"I wouldn't dream of it." Thomas took off his own coat, putting it up. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Mister president."

He watched as Jefferson disappeared down a hallway. He wanted to leave, but he didn't. _Disobeying the president isn't a good idea either._

He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

~

Philip woke in the morning to the smell of food. His stomach growled. He hadn't eaten much dinner the night before. His eyes must have visibly lit up when Thomas appeared in the front room with two plates, as the older man let out a chuckle.

"Hungry, hmm?" Thomas handed him a plate, then began eating his own.

Philip, on the other hand, scarfed down everything on his plate.

"It's not as good as Sally's cooking, but I manage." Philip looked up at Thomas.

"Where is she?"

"Back home with the kids. I didn't want to bring them here. It's cold enough as is."

"Why do you and my father hate each other so much?"

"It goes back to when you were in diapers, kid. Washington always favored him, and he always had to oppose me. I am convinced he did it on purpose."

"So, you were jealous?"

"No."

"You just said it was because your boss favored him. That means you jealous."

"No. Now, be a good boy and take this back into the kitchen." He offered Philip his plate.

Philip took it, putting it on top of his own, and brought them into the kitchen. It was anything but tidy. It looked like his kitchen at home had exploded, and its remains had been dragged into this one.

He just set the plates down on a counter filled with other dirty dishes, then went back into the front room. He didn't say anything as he sat back down. Thomas had barely moved an inch.

"Do you mind telling me what you were doing out last night?" Thomas looked back to Philip. "Nobody needs to know. I won't tell."

' _For a president, you're awfully nosey,'_ Philip thought as he considered telling him. He did take him in and give him food and bed.

"I wanted to see a girl. We've been seeing each other for a couple of months, and I know she must be worried sick."

"I understand, kid. I was once your age, too. Nothing to be embarrassed about… Tell me about her."

"You… You want to hear about her?" ' _Not good. Not good at all,'_ He thought. But he trusted Thomas. For some peculiar, unfathomable reason, he truly trusted Thomas. "You can't tell anybody."

"You really are one for secrets, kid. But what is said here will stay between us."

"Do you not have other things to do? You know, being the president and all?"

"Nothing better to do at the moment, no. Tell me about her."

Philip took a deep breath. "She's funny, sweet, charming… Daring, definitely." He didn't notice the small smile spreading across his face.

"Pretty?" Thomas inquired.

"Beautiful. She worries a lot, too. Which is why I'm worried about her."

"Does she have a name?"

"This is why you have to keep this secret."

"How bad can it be?" Thomas raised an eyebrow, now definitely interested.

Philip inhaled deeply before admitting his biggest secret to a man he honestly didn't know that well. "Theodosia."

"Theodosia… Burr?"

He only nodded, then Thomas started howling with laughter. Philip stared as the other man nearly lost his breath.

"Sorry, kid. That's just too funny." Thomas said weakly when he had recovered from his fit. "The irony. Hey, do me a solid and let me know how red your dad's face got when you tell him, okay?"

Philip rolled his eyes. "Thanks for the support."

"You should be getting home."

"Do I have to?"

"I suppose not. I do have some things I need to get done. Do you want to come with me?"

"Depends…" Philip looked up. "What would we be doing?"

"Shopping, more than likely."

"... Better than going home." Philip stood and put his coat on. "Let's go."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: This picks up a few hours after the last chapter with Theodosia.**

Theodosia woke up to a pair of arms wrapped around her, pulling her off of her bed. "Theodosia, wake up. _Wake up._ " She rubbed her eyes and saw her father standing in front of her, gripping her tightly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah… Yes, dad, why? What happened?"

"I'm not quite sure. When I came home, the kitchen window was smashed in. There were people in here. They ran when I came in. I couldn't seem them very well."

"Are you serious? And I was asleep the entire time? Are Louisa and Jean okay?"

Aaron nodded, helping his daughter sit back on the bed. "Nothing was even taken. They didn't get to do whatever they came here to do."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Theodosia let herself relax. How could she have been so stupid? "I'm sorry, dad. I know I should have stayed up until you were home."

"Not your fault, sweetheart." He kissed her softly on her forehead. "I'm just glad you are all unharmed. I hope they won't return. I know you have had a lot on your mind lately, too. Are you better now?"

She nodded. "A little bit."

He sat next to her, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Talk to me, Theodosia. Please. I want to help you."

"Dad, this is something I just can't tell you. Please let it go."

"What is so bad you can't tell me? You can tell me anything, Theo."

She shook her head, and Aaron stood up. "If you change your mind, you can come find me. Good night."

"Good night, dad."

When he left the room, she lied back down. Once again, she was asleep before she even knew it.

The next day, Theodosia was out of her house before her father had even left for work. She had to see if Philip was home. She went to Richard's place, as they had planned, and knocked on the door. As always, he was quick to open it and let her inside.

"You are awfully eager," He chuckled. "I didn't expect you for another thirty or so minutes."

"I have to be sure he's okay," She said stubbornly, but accepted the warm cup he offered her. As she took a drink, she noticed a bandage wrapping his right hand. "What happened to your hand?"

"Nothing big." Richard sat down across from her. "Just a mishap with a knife while making dinner. Living on your own comes with a lot to do."

Theodosia sipped at her drink, letting it warm her up. It was freezing outside and she hadn't even buttoned her coat.

"What happens if Alexander recognizes me? I know he knows my father has a daughter named Theodosia around my age. He can put two and two together."

"That's why we're having you go as my company. If he does figure it out… Who knows? He might realize you aren't so bad and it will make it easier to tell him in the future. It surprises me he did not ask for your name yesterday."

"Thank you," Theodosia looked at him. "For doing all of this."

"Philip and I have been friends for years. I agreed to take care of you if something happened to him, so I will help you until we know for certain that he is fine. But I can almost promise you he is."

"When are we going to go?"

"You sound like a child. Surely we are not going to bother them this early in the morning. We will leave in a little while. In the meantime, how have you been?"

"Somebody broke into my house last night."

Richard looked at her, shocked. "That's awful. What did they do?"

"Nothing, thankfully. My father came home right after they got inside. They fled after he came in. But they did smash our kitchen window."

"Well, at least you are all okay. I hope they don't return."

"All we can really do is hope they won't." She set her now empty cup down on the table. "My siblings are staying with our neighbor during the day now, though, because they are so young."

As time passed, they almost didn't notice it was about time for them to leave. They put on their coats and walked to the Hamiltons' house.

Eliza let them inside and took their coats to hang up. "It is good to see you two again. Philip is home today, though, so you can see him. Philip! You have guests!"

Theodosia heard Philip's familiar footsteps as he came down the stairs. He gave Richard a smile, which began to drop as he saw her in the house. His eyes screamed 'What are you doing here?'

Philip snapped out of his shock and began to slip on his coat. "Hey, guys. I'm glad to see you here. I've missed you." He put on his shoes and started to button his coat. "You know, it is really crowded in here. How about we go to Richard's place?"

Alexander looked a little concerned with his son's suddenly nervous behavior, but didn't say anything as the three of them left the house.

Philip kept looking behind him as they walked through the snow, and Theodosia kept him from stepping on the ice coating the ground.

The tension was thick in the air when they finally walked through the door of Richard's house. Sensing this, Richard disappeared into the kitchen to let the other two have some privacy for a conversation that would be awkward to listen to.

Theodosia was extremely nervous, but Philip didn't say a word for a minutes. He wouldn't even look at her. He just bit his lip and look down at the ground.

She didn't want to start anything, but she couldn't stand the silence. It was almost worse than anything he could have been saying at that moment.

Finally, _finally,_ he looked at her. And the first words he said directly to her after three weeks came out. "What is wrong with you?"


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: The timings have gotten a little bit funky. I'm sorry about that, but this chapter starts at the end Chapter 8 and will end lined up with Chapter 9. I hope you're not confused.  
I was going to keep this until Wednesday, but you can have it early.**

"Kid, would you mind telling me how this thing between you and her started?" Thomas asked, looking around a small market. "I mean, this story is too interesting to pass up."

"It was at a ball. I met her and tried to talk to her. When our parents came up, we decided to give it a try anyway. And we have been together for a little over a month now," Philip answered honestly. "We still have no idea how we are going to tell our families, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

He was awkwardly strolling behind the older man. He was getting a few strange looks, being in public with the president and all, but he wasn't too concerned about that. He was more worried about what was going to happen when he got home and his parents were wondering where he had been. He knew going out was a bad idea.

His side still ached with every step, but the sharp pain had lessened into a dull throb. He didn't have trouble keeping up with Thomas, but he still opted to keep his distance, should he run into any of his family.

"That old tale, hmm? I have heard that one too many times. Rarely ends well, now that I think about it" Thomas seemed almost bored with the explanation. He would have been if the lovebirds weren't from rivaling families.

"My parents met the same way," Philip mumbled, fiddling with the cuff of his sleeve. "And they are still together."

"With the exception of a … what, month-long affair?"

"They love each other," Philip growled slightly before calming down and going silent. He didn't _truly_ know if his parents still had feelings for each other. They had been fighting at least weekly since his father's affair, and that had been ten years ago. A whole decade!

Thomas lightly put his arm around Philip's shoulders and gave a squeeze. "Kid, I know it must be rough. But denial will get you nowhere."

Deep down, Philip knew Thomas was right. He had to stop pretending and just face the music eventually, but it felt nice to pretend.

Thomas felt bad for him, but comforting wasn't really his strong suit. He could only really offer one piece of advice. "Talk to him. I know your dad has his faults. Believe me, I've seen them. But I do know that, more than anything, he loves his kids. Maybe they're finally moving past it. But don't get your hopes up. Keep them down, you won't be disappointed."

He said it so casually, as if he had just been talking about how the weather was or what he was having for lunch.

Philip felt a desire to comfort the older man, but what could he even say to that? He settled for a curt nod before deciding they had been there for a while. "It has been two hours. I should be getting back home. My parents must be worried."

"You have a job, don't you, kid? You know, one that you should be getting to instead?"

Philip took another quick glance. Thomas was right. He was late. "Darnit! I'm late!" His job had been far from his main concern for the past couple of days. Of course, he had been allowed to take some time off after the duel. But he had been supposed to come in today. He thanked Thomas again before taking off.

His day at work was relatively boring. After getting an earful from his boss about tardiness, he got to sit around and do absolutely nothing. _Really?_ Philip thought. _Rush me and then have me do nothing? What was the point of even coming in?_

The hours ticked by, and Philip was finally allowed to go home. He no longer cared about the lecture he would be getting from his parents about his whereabouts. He just wanted to go home and crawl into bed. The soreness was returning to his hip and his arm was still anything but useable. That made it impossible to do a lot of the things he would have otherwise done.

Upon walking through his front door, both of his parents' eyes went directly onto him. "Where have you been?"

"Work," Philip said, only halfway lying. "I had to come in early today to make up the time I lost."

"Not overworking yourself, are you? You still need rest," Eliza looked for any sign of her son feeling ill. He wasn't any paler than usual, but he did seem tired.

"That is why I came straight here after I got off. I want to rest for a little while. I apologize for not leaving a note; I know you guys were probably worried sick. I love you and good night," Philip told them quickly, not giving them time to see through his lie.

He nearly ran up the stairs to his bedroom, where he plopped on his bed. His breathing was getting deep and he tried to calm himself. He felt like he was going to pass out. He wished he had stayed in.

It didn't take him long to pass out. But it also didn't take long for his nap to be interrupted by his mother, who was yelling for him from downstairs. "Philip! You have guests!"

Philip groaned as he sat up, instinctively combing down his bed head with his fingers. Guests? Who would be visiting him now of all times?

Despite his body telling him not to, he dragged himself out of bed and came down the stairs. He saw Richard standing in the living room. _I should have known he would be here, I suppose. But mom said guests._

His eyes widened in horror as he saw Theodosia standing there, looking up at him with a soft smile. _What is she doing in here? And with my parents right there?_

He forced down a reply that definitely would have tipped his parents off. "Hey, guys. I'm glad to see you. I've missed you." He was talking so fast he almost tripped over his words. He started to put on his shoes and coat. "You know, it is really crowded in here. How about we go to Richard's place?"

Philip didn't notice his father's confused expression as he pulled the other two out the door.

They reached Richard's house. The air was almost murky with a horribly awkward silence. Of course, it didn't take long for Richard to disappear into the kitchen, mumbling something about giving the other two privacy.

Philip tried not to look at Theodosia as he tried to calm himself. And he was supposedly the rash one in the relationship! Eventually, he looked up at her. The words slipped before he could stop them. "What is wrong with you?"


	11. Chapter 11

"Philip, I was just worried about you. All you said was, 'Hey, I have to go duel somebody. See you in a little while! Maybe!' Would you not be concerned?"

"But you knew how dangerous going to my house would be for you. For us." Philip put his arm around her shoulders, gently squeezing for emphasis. "What if you had let something slip? And how are we supposed to explain this when we do have to tell them?"

Theodosia sighed. "I know, I know. It was stupid and I apologize. But sitting around waiting for you to show up was driving me crazy. What else was I supposed to do?"

He pulled her close, letting her wrap her arms around his waist. "They seemed to like you well enough. It could be worse."

"Someone did attempt to break into my house."

"What?" Philip looked at Theodosia, obviously concerned. "Who would do such a thing?"

"We don't know. They left before my father could catch them. I was asleep at the time."

"Wait, you were in the house?"

Theodosia only nodded, beginning to wish she hadn't brought it up. But it was best she told him before he figured out from somewhere else.

"Hey, can I get you two anything? Tea, maybe?" Richard stood in the kitchen doorway, trying to stop the couple from going into a squabble.

They both looked at him, trying to figure out he was being serious.

"I take that as a no?" He asked, trying to keep the mood light. He did not want them fighting. At least, not in his living room. "I was just offering."

Philip sighed, asking him if he could lend him a jacket. His was soaking wet and wouldn't do much to keep him warm when he left.

"Of course. There's one in my bedroom you can borrow. Just go down that way and it's the second door you come to."

"Thank you," Philip said, heading down the hallway he was directed toward. He wasn't thinking as he opened the first door he came to. He only had to look for a second before becoming confused. He had never seen this room before. Of course, Richard had always told him it was just a storage room, filled with nothing but junk. But this room wasn't filled at all.

The room was small, maybe three fourths of the size of the average bedroom. There was only a small mattress in the back corner with a long piece of rope on top of it. He nearly got a headache from breathing in that air, and he picked up a musty scent. The room was stuffy. Why would anyone use a room like this?

Philip shut that door, figuring that was why it was almost empty. He went down one more door and recognized his friend's comfortable-feeling bedroom. He grabbed the jacket Richard had told him about. He let out a soft shiver as he passed that first door again. He couldn't explain why it gave him chills, but it did.

"I should be going, I suppose," Philip told the other two as he slipped on the jacket and grabbed his own. "I have schoolwork I really need to catch up on. Before I go, can I talk to you, Richard? Alone?"

The other man only nodded, beckoning for Philip to step into the kitchen with him.

"I apologize," The Hamilton began as he stepped out of Theodosia's earshot, "But I accidentally went into that first room down the hallway. Would you mind if I asked what it is for?"

"Ah. That room." Richard dried a mug and set it back in the cabinet. "I used to use it for storage. But the weather was not kind to one of the walls, so now it is not used for anything."

"What was the bed in there for?"

"It is just my old bed, from before I got the one I use now. It's not in good shape, so I just tossed it in there. Nobody will miss it," Richard explained, almost too casually. "Would you mind returning the jacket as soon as you can? It belongs to my brother. He will want it back in a week or so."

"You will have it before then," Philip promised, stepping out of the kitchen.

He turned the Theodosia, giving her a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I promise I'll visit you as soon as I can. Maybe tomorrow, while your father is at work."

"I am looking forward to it already." Theodosia smiled.

Philip left Richard's house, having his own jacket hanging off of his arm. The borrowed one was warmer than his, so the walk home was less miserable than the walk there. As he stepped into his own house, he couldn't stop worrying about his friend. He knew Richard well, and he knew Richard never acted like that. He was too distant to be like the man he was used to. Too formal.

 _Maybe it is only because of Theodosia. He has always acted different around ladies._ Philip lied on his bed, grabbing his school books and beginning to scribble away. He didn't notice his younger brother until he sat on the edge of the bed, effectively knocking his book onto the floor.

"What do you want, Alex?" Philip grumbled, reaching down to retrieve the book.

"Was that Theodosia? The girl you told me about?"

The older boy only nodded, flipping through to find his page again.

"Because she was here yesterday and said she was with Richard. Are you sure she isn't cheating on you?"

"I'm sure. She only said that so mom and dad wouldn't know about us," Philip told his younger brother, annoyed with the boy's tendency to stick his nose into others' business.

"Richard acted odd, too. I think he likes her."

"He does not. Now, leave me alone." Philip waved a hand at Alex, wanting to use some less-than-polite phrasing.

Alexander Jr. shrugged, standing up. He walked out of the shared bedroom, leaving his brother with only, "If you say so."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Sorry it's late. It'll happen. My good friend yuri-prima-ballerina wrote the first 150 or so words of this chapter. And I'm sorry this one's late, I'm back at school. But please be nicer to this. Meaning, _review_ , brats. **

Philip couldn't get his mind off that room. There was a feeling he just couldn't shake after he set foot in it. He didn't want to leave Theodosia alone with Richard, for some odd reason- maybe he was just getting jealous.

"Yes, that's right. I'm just jealous." Philip tried to convince himself of the fact, but since Alex brought up that Richard liked Theodosia, he couldn't help but feel a little... nervous, really. He had no clue why.

Even with this 'odd' feeling, Philip and Theodosia chose Richard's place as a safe location to meet up. They planned to do so every Sunday.

Theodosia herself felt strange around Richard. It seemed as if Philip trusted him, though, and Theodosia respected Philip's judgement. She was worried about other things as well. One such thing was that her father was getting nosey.

"Where do you go every Sunday?"

"To a friend's house." See, Theodosia felt bad if she told a lie. So, she didn't. She just didn't tell the whole truth.

"What is this 'friend's' name?"

"Richard. Richard Price."

"And how do you know this Richard Price?"

"I met him while I was out shopping. Calm down, father, we are not together."

"... What do you and Mister Price do?"

"We just talk," Theodosia sighed, rolling her eyes at her father's over protectiveness.

"I see. And is anybody else there?"

"No, dad." Okay, sure that was a lie. But what was she supposed to say? 'I go there and stay with two guys for several hours at a time.' Yeah, that would not go over well.

"... I'm not sure I like this."

"We do nothing except talk. I promise."

"I believe you. But sometimes the ones you trust the most will try something funny."

"Dad, I promise you. Nothing will be happening between Richard and I. No matter what 'funny' thing he tries."

"If you say so. Head on up to bed. It is nearly midnight."

"Good night, father." Theodosia kissed his cheek before walking to her bedroom.

Aaron left the house, stopping outside his neighbor's house. He knew at least Genevieve would be awake.

Ever since those intruders, he was a bit paranoid. But he had to be at this meeting.

"Mrs. Alban?" He called as he gave the door a knock. He knew the worst case was that he woke her husband, who was more than likely still awake. They didn't have any children, so they shouldn't mind doing him a simple favor.

Genevieve opened the door, smiling as she saw him. "Mr. Burr. What a pleasure."

"I have to get to work soon. Do you think you and Julian could keep an eye on my house while I'm gone? As long as you are awake, that is. We had a bit of a burglar problem a little while back."

"Of course. It would not be a problem at all." The Albans were a friendly, young couple. They had gotten along with Aaron ever since they became neighbors.

He thanked them, heading to his meeting and praying it wouldn't be too horrible to bear.

After listening to his boss drone on for a good hour, they were out of things to discuss. Just the two of them sat at a desk, trying to ignore the awkward silence.

"So, how has your daughter been?"

"..." Aaron looked up at Thomas. He had never asked about his personal life, let alone his daughter. "She's fine... Why do you ask?"

"Just curious. That boy isn't hurting her, is h-" Thomas immediately shut up. It was as if he has said something he wasn't supposed to.

Aaron raised an eyebrow. "What boy?"

"Forget that. Forget any of that happened."

"Jefferson... What. Boy. Has. My. Daughter. Been. Seeing. Behind. My. Back?"

"No boy. No boy at all."

"Would it happen to be a Richard Price?"

The other man nodded. "That was it. Richard Price. Yep, that was the name..."

Aaron growled, too overtaken by rage to notice the other man's rather obvious dishonesty.

"She lied to me. That girl straight-up lied to me. And why would she tell you and not me?"

"She was not the one who told me. He did."

"How do you know him?"

"You are such a nosy man, Aaron. Talk less. Smile more."

Aaron only rolled his eyes at the obvious mockery. "Can you be mature for one second, Thomas? Tell me what you know."

"Have you considered that maybe, just _maybe_ , she is a big girl and can make these decisions. I know for a fact that this young man is treating her right. Why are you so against it?"

"I am against the fact that she didn't think to tell me. She should know I would give the boy a chance."

"You are overreacting a little right now."

"I just don't want my little girl hurt."

"But Theodosia is not a little girl anymore. She will be married before you even know it, Aaron."

"That does not mean I will be fine with her being hurt!"

"Philip is not going to hurt her!"


	13. Chapter 13

Aaron raised an eyebrow, his eyes meeting his boss's. "... Philip? I thought his name was Richard."

"I meant Richard," The other man said smoothly, knowing he had screwed up. _Philip is going to kill me._

"I doubt it. Now, would you mind terribly if I asked who Philip is?" The vice president narrowed his eyes, not falling for Thomas's lie. It wasn't very convincing at all, really.

"Ask your daughter." Thomas picked up his jacket, leaving the room. In all honesty, the last thing he had wanted to do was spill the secret. But he had never been able to keep things to himself. It always came out in the end. All he knew now was that he had to get to Philip before Aaron could get to Theodosia. Theodosia wouldn't know how to handle it if questioned off her guard like that, and that was something the couple should discuss together.

Reaching the Hamilton residence was no problem. It wasn't far, and he knew exactly where it was. No, the problem lied with the fact that there were ten people in there and he needed to speak with _one_ and _none of the others._

Thomas knocked on the door, hearing muffled shouts and hurried footsteps. _I can't imagine being in this household,_ He thought to himself, then the door swung open. His ex-enemy stood in front of him, looking mildly confused. "... Jefferson?"

"I know this sounds weird, but I need to talk to Philip." The other man offered no explanation. "It's slightly urgent."

"There had better be a good reason for this," The eldest Hamilton mumbled, disappearing into the house just enough to shout for his son.

When Philip came to the doorway, his eyes widened with shock and worry. He knew it must be something big for Thomas to actually show up at his house with his family home, let alone ask his father to see him. "What... What is going on?"

"Listen, kid, I am so sorry... But I might have let your secret slip and Burr might be on his way to his house to have a rather unpleasant conversation with your lady." It came out rushed, and Philip was thankful the noise of his siblings drowned the older man's words out for the rest of his family.

"I trusted you with that," Philip muttered, throwing his coat on. He gave his family no reason for his behavior as he took off and slammed the door shut behind him. "Do you think he would be at his home by now?"

"He would be close. I doubt he would be there, though." Thomas started to jog, keeping up with the younger man's ever-quickening pace.

Philip sighed as he started to run. "You can leave. I can handle this... I just need to beat Burr there."

Poets aren't very athletic. It should be considered a proven fact. Even with adrenaline carrying him, Philip was exhausted by the time his sprint came to a stop in front of his lover's house. He didn't hear any yelling, so he silently celebrated the fact that he had beaten Aaron.

He didn't bother to knock. Theodosia looked up nervously, and the sight of a panting Philip didn't help. "What are you doing here?"

"I might have told Thomas Jefferson about us and he let it slip to your father," The young man explained rapidly. "And now he is on his way here. And I think we need to tell him."

"Philip... Are you sure? We cannot know how he will take it. He could go crazy."

"And he will be even more furious if we keep this from him. He has to find out some day. If we keep this from him, when that day comes, he will be angry that we lied to him. Now is as good of a time as any." He softly kissed her forehead, wishing that she would calm down.

After a deep breath, Theodosia nodded. "Do you want me to tell him?"

"We can do this together." Philip gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "And who knows? It might go well."

It didn't take long for Aaron to open the door and enter the house, his eyes narrowing as he caught sight of Philip. "You... Philip, is it?" He said, faking a formality like he had been known to do. In Philip's house, anyway.

"Yes, sir." Philip nodded, meeting the older man's eyes. "Philip Hamilton."

"Hamilton?"

He only nodded again, accepting Aaron's offered handshake. He expected a broken hand, but no injury happened there. "Alexander Hamilton is my father."

"My understanding is that you have been seeing my daughter behind my back." Aaron sounded neither angry nor resentful. The neutrality in his voice was frightening.

"That I have, sir. She is an amazing woman. We could not be sure that either of out families would approve, so we kept it a secret. I apologize for the way you had to find out."

Aaron turned his head to look at his daughter. "And he is making you happy?"

Theodosia quickly nodded.

Philip bit down on the inside of his bottom lip as the older man turned to talk to him once again. He didn't know what he expected, but he definitely didn't expect what actually came out of Aaron's mouth.

"You be good to her, Philip."


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Ha. It's 11:40 at night, but still on time. I'm sorry, I never learn my lesson. I didn't start this until today. I hope you enjoy and I hope the next chapter will be better, because I actually have a plan for that one.**

"I really am sorry about telling him. It just slipped."

It had been two weeks since Aaron had found out about his daughter's relationship with his enemy's son. And he had been fine with it! Philip hadn't even gotten a lecture. Though he was thankful for the reaction, he couldn't help but be a bit envious. There was no way his father would that cool about it. But, then again, Aaron Burr had been known to hide his feelings…

"Just forget it. No harm was done… Just please try to not let it happen again." Philip was meeting up with Thomas again. He was on a roll with meeting up with people behind his parents' back. He honestly didn't know who would get him in more trouble, Thomas or Theodosia. "My father will not as... serene about it."

"I promise, it will not reoccur. I hardly see your father anymore, anyway."

"You are not like he makes you out to be, Thomas."

"I am, in some ways." Thomas looked at the younger man. "But he is quite biased. Even if he did make me president, we have never gotten along… Not once."

"He has told me enough about you. I am glad I really met you, though. I believed him."

"You have a rather sketchy relationship with your father." It wasn't a question. It was a cold, hard fact.

Philip sighed. He wished it wasn't true. "I do… I love my father, but we struggle with seeing eye to eye sometimes," He explained, avoiding making eye contact with the older man.

"Kid… You want to change that as soon as you can. My father died when I was fourteen. We were in the middle of a large fight. But being so young, I couldn't do much except refuse to speak to him… It has to be my biggest regret."

"I have been wanting to try to heal the relationship for a while, but… I'm scared. Especially now that I am seeing Theodosia… He has to find out sometime. I know there is no way he will be okay with it. I am honestly baffled that Mr. Burr was alright with it!"

"Philip. Listen to me. Your father… No, he probably won't love what you have with Theodosia. But if I've picked up two things from being forced to spend all of that time with him, it would be these. One, he is a slight maniac when it comes to even trivial things."

That really didn't make Philip feel any better. He took on a sarcastic tone. "Thank you. That helped me so much."

Thomas pretended not to hear the snark in the teen's voice. "Two, he loves his kids. No matter what. He won't be thrilled, but if I know him at all, he is not going to let it tear you two apart. Please, kid. If something is bothering you, tell him. You want a healthy relationship while you have him."

"I understand. I promise I will try to talk to him later tonight."

"You are so much better than he is. So much easier to get along with, at least."

"Not really hard, once you actually meet my father. It has only gotten worse since the affair came out… I'm thankful I will be moving out soon. My siblings, though… I hope they start to get along for their sake."

"The fighting is still that bad, huh, kid?"

"Horrible. Thomas, they scream and yell and storm out and throw things even…"

Thomas's heart went out to the boy. While his parents had never fought that much. He could imagine what that must feel like. Worrying about his younger siblings was something he was definitely used to. Being the third oldest of ten children… it happened.

"If it gets _that_ bad… my door is always open."

"Thank you so much. It really means a lot to hear that. Speaking of my parents, I have to get home or they will start worrying again. They treat me like a child."

"You are their child, Philip. Of course that will happen."

Philip only nodded and bade Thomas goodbye.

He hurried home. Of course, his parents were arguing again. It wasn't too bad yet, but it would escalate. It always did.

" _I just figured you would want some family time. Not to mention, your last refusal of a vacation ended with you sleeping around! Forget about me, I am only your WIFE!"_

Philip flinched slightly. Now, they were raising their voices.

" _Do you have to assume it will always end that way? Do you want me to always drop everything for your wants, your highness? I have a job, Eliza. You know, that thing that brings in money!"_

"Stop it!" Philip snapped. Both of his parents shut their mouths as they gazed at him in shock. "Can you two please go a day without fighting? Please?"

Both of their expressions softened as they realized what their son was trying to tell them. Eliza gave Alexander a look that could only be translated as, 'This is for you to talk to him about.'

She turned on her heel and left the room, leaving only Philip with Alexander. "Son? Is there something you want to speak with me about?"

Philip shook his head, turning toward the direction of the stairs. "No, pa. Just please stop fighting with mom."

Alexander quickly grabbed Philip's wrist. "Tell me if there is. I want to know what you are thinking."

"Forget it."

"No, Philip. Tell me the truth."

"Just please stop fighting. Put this affair behind you. I know you two love each other. But… It truly is becoming harder and harder to believe every day." With that, he yanked his wrist out of Alexander's grip and climbed the stairs, leaving his father staring, mouth agape in shock.


	15. Chapter 15

Theodosia ran her fingers through her long, dark hair as she put dishes back into their cupboards. She had been feeling like a weight had been lifted off of her ever since her father found out about her and Philip's relationship. Keeping that from him had nearly killed her.

Aaron sat at the kitchen table, scribbling away with a quill. With her siblings up in their rooms and her father engrossed in his work, it was awfully quiet.

"Father?" Theodosia asked softly, her eyes wandering to Aaron as he looked up.

"Yes?" He inquired, meeting his daughter's eyes. "What is it?"

"Are you really all right with Philip and I being together?"

Aaron only nodded, watching as Theodosia sat next to him. "He seems like fine young man. From what you have told me, I think he treats you well. Unless I am given a reason not to, I trust him with you."

"Thank you… We thought you would freak out."

"No, no… Alexander will, though."

"We know… Do you think he will get used to it? Or will he hate it forever?"

"Hard to tell with Hamilton, really," Aaron bluntly said, folding up his latest essay. "He might surprise you. In all honesty, however, I would prepare for the worst with him."

"You would not mind if I married into the Hamilton family?"

"No, Theodosia. I would still have an issue with your father-in-law, but Philip is not Alexander. I know this. If he was, his first words to me would have been 'Fight me.'"

Theodosia chuckled softly as she slipped a jacket on. "I will be back in an hour or so, dad. Philip asked me to meet him at the park."

"It had better be in the park. In public."

"Sorry, father, but we have to hide."

"If you come back…"

"Expecting, yes, yes. You have said this before. I love you." She slipped out the door, shutting it softly behind her. The cold weather had been surprisingly tame for the time of year. Only a light sheet of snow covered the ground as blades of grass peeked through it.

Theodosia took the familiar route to the park, where they had met up quite a few times over the last couple of months.

It didn't take her long to find Philip. He was sitting in their usual spot behind the trees, looking upset. She made her way over, taking a spot on his lap. "Has something happened, Philip?"

Philip let out a small sigh as he nuzzled her neck, burying his face in her dark hair. He remained silent for a moment, before explaining, "My parents are fighting again."

Theodosia wrapped her arms around his neck softly, giving her lover's back a gentle rub. She knew how much the fighting bothered him, and she really wished she could help him.

"Surely they will make up," She offered, trying to be optimistic.

"Only to be fighting again by Wednesday," Philip grumbled.

Theodosia didn't argue. While her parents had never fought like that, she could somewhat imagine what it would be like. "Have you tried talking to them yet?"

"Somewhat… I told my dad what was bothering me and then just left… I have no idea if he is actually going to take it to heart. Knowing him, probably not."

"He will, Philip. If there is one person on this planet your father listens to, it is you. I think he will apologize and start working on becoming better about the fighting."

"Theodosia, he is not going to apologize."

"Why would he not?"

"Because of his pride, Theodosia. It always comes back to that damned pride! All the Hamiltons have it. I know I do!" The young man began to ramble on. "There are a million times I should have listened to you or somebody else. My own mind cannot allow me to admit I was wrong, though."

Theodosia took a moment to be thankful her family was never this prideful or stubborn. "Philip, you are his son. I am fairly certain he will consider you more important than his pride."

Philip sighed again, taking her hand. "I will head back… eventually."

"Do you think we should tell them?"

"Not right now, love." He kissed her forehead as he lifted her up.

Theodosia held onto him with a giggle. "Philip…"

"We will tell them soon, but not yet." He spun her around, stopping only when he stepped into a small mud puddle. His heel slipped and sent them both toppling to the ground, laughing like maniacs.

Theodosia cuddled up to him, planting an amiable kiss on his cheek.

"I never thought I would be so glad that I was pulled into attending a ball," Philip stated as he laced his own fingers with Theodosia.

She only nodded, her smile growing wider.

The pair sat up, but refused to release each other's' hands. Philip grumbled a little as Theodosia pointed out the large mud stain that had been spread on his jacket. He slipped it off, as the temperature outside had dropped. It was still chilly, but he would survive.

Theodosia's dress had come up at the bottom, revealing her pale legs up to her knees. Her neckline had also inched downward… Aaron would not approve, to say the least. Her dress had been wrinkled with their fall.

As blood began to appear through Philip's white dress shirt, Theodosia frantically began to unbutton it. "Did you cut yourself when you fell?" She asked.

Philip quickly abandoned his shirt, leaving his chest exposed. Theodosia was too concerned with the narrow slice on his midriff to even fix her own clothing.

Philip put his hand against the cut, feeling it become wetter and wetter. He must have been caught on a sharp rock when he had fallen. "The bleeding will stop soon," He said, pushing his hand harder against it.

"Are you cold?"

The poet shook his head. Really, goosebumps had started to appear, but he didn't mention it. He didn't want to worry her.

"I have clothes on and it's rather cold… Are you sure?" Theodosia asked him. Her shoes had been lost during the fall. They laid on the ground a few feet away.

"Let's just get dressed and get going," Philip said as he started to get up, noticing her ratty Theodosia's hair was looking from rolling around. He looked up as footsteps approached, just in time to see his younger brother appear through the trees.

The teen's eyes widened as he saw the scene in front of him. His brother was half-dressed in the snow. And he was with a girl, who was looking like she had been through something… As the gears in his head turned and clicked after a second, a smirk developed on his face.

Alexander Jr. took off, only looking back to holler at his brother. "I'm telling Dad!"


	16. Chapter 16

"Alexander, you little brat, don't you dare!" Philip hollered as he ran after his little brother. He had a barely mended cut on his bare chest (in February, no less), but it didn't bother him. He jumped, tackling the younger boy and pinning him to the ground.

Philip was careful as to where he distributed his weight as he held his brother down, not actually wanting to hurt him… _yet._

"Listen to me. That back there? It was not what it looked like. We were not _doing_ anything."

"Then what was going on?" The teen asked, not even trying to hide the large smirk on his face. He had finally caught Philip, _perfect_ Philip, doing something bad. "Hmm, dear brother? You were in the trees, half naked, rolling around with a girl. Explain. Unless you would rather explain to-" His sentence was cut short as Philip covered his mouth with his hand.

"Shut up for a second, and I will. But, first, you have to promise that this will not get back to our parents. Or anyone else, for that matter." He was well aware that they would be bound to get a few odd stares if they didn't hurry this up, but he didn't care. Nobody ever really came this far down that alley for it to cause trouble.

"And what if it does? You are the one in trouble here, not me."

"I could just tell pa about Lindsey McCavana. Or Brooke Teagueson. Or Laverne Hudinson…" Philip said threateningly. It was true that, while young, Alexander Jr. did have a thing for sneaking around with whatever prey he could catch. Of course, he didn't think anybody knew about it. But you can't hide things like that from your siblings. Philip had noticed every mark on his neck that he attempted to hide and every hushed whisper coming from his closet when his parents had come home early.

"Philip… You wouldn't dare."

"Try me, little brother," Philip chuckled, digging his fingers into the younger boy's ribs. Alex squirmed and squealed, trying to crawl away from his brother's attack.

"Are you still telling dad?" Philip could feel that he was winning in this situation.

"N-No, PHILIP!" Alex kept laughing and begging for Philip to stop.

Philip pulled his hands away and stood up. He helped Alex up, brushing the dirt off of him.

Alex looked annoyed. "Okay, _mother_. Quit it!" He smacked his elder brother's hand away.

"This stays between us, right?" Philip asked.

"You keep from snitching on me, and yes." Alex said simply.

"You should be getting home. Mom will want you home for dinner. Tell her that I will be staying with Richard for tonight."

"Of course. 'Richard.'"

Philip rolled his eyes. He would, as a matter of fact, be staying with Richard that night.

Theodosia had stayed where she was, fixing her clothes. She waited for Philip to return.

When he appeared through the trees, he looked almost smug. "I think he will actually keep his mouth shut this time. I wouldn't be too sure, though. Keeping quiet has never been his strong suit."

"He doesn't know me, though," Theodosia said. "He has no idea who my father is."

"But he does know your first name. My father can put two and two together." Philip took her hand, giving it a soft squeeze. "Let me walk you home, love."

They stuck with the backroads as they walked to Theodosia's house, where Philip kissed her goodbye and quickly ran to Richard's place.

He made himself comfortable as Richard filled him in on whatever he had been missing. He had been so busy lately, it was hard to keep up.

"Did you hear about the British attack in New Hampshire?"

Philip looked up, eyes widened. "No… not a thing. What happened?"

"Word on the street is that President Jefferson got a little too big for his britches. The king said he could defeat us with a quarter of his army. Jefferson said, 'Bring it.' And now, they are attacking. Nobody was harmed, but they destroyed a food storage."

"Because Jefferson made a snide comment?"

Richard only nodded, taking a seat across from his friend. "They promised they wouldn't send any more than a quarter of their forces. If they are defeated, their pride will be crushed. Darn Brits… Have you ever considered joining the army?"

"Not really, no." Philip didn't like where the conversation was heading.

"You should. I'm sure you would be great. Your dad was a legend, after all."

"That is more for after the war than during it," Philip mumbled.

"He would be proud. What, Hamilton, are you scared?" Richard teased, enjoying how Philip's face flushed with embarrassment and a bit of anger.

"I am not," The Hamilton boy said simply. "I just have no desire to fight a useless war."

"It will happen, whether you join or not. Do you want our first fight as an actual country to be a loss? Why not help?"

"I would rather not risk my life over something with no purpose. And if you are so high and mighty, why will you not join?"

"I would if I could, Philip. You know I would not be able to fire a weapon with my hand in this condition."

Philip nodded a little, remembering the story Richard had told him. When he was little, his hand had been crushed by a log when he got too close to a house being built. It never healed properly. He still had to write with his left hand, even though he really wasn't coordinated enough to make it look decent.

"You should be thankful you were able to talk out your beef with Eacker. You would have been destroyed if you went through with that duel."

"So, why not join?"

"I said no, Richard."

"I think you're just scared."

"I am _not_ scared."

"There is no way you would join to army. You are just a scared, little poet boy."

"Richard."

"You won't join… Too afraid."

" _Watch me!"_


	17. Chapter 17

What do you mean you are joining the military?" Theodosia looked at Philip, shocked at what he had just told her. They were at her house. Her siblings were still asleep and her father was away at work, despite it being so early that the sun had not yet risen.

"Theodosia, calm down. Hear me out for one second. The British are causing trouble again. And they have underestimated us. Again! They have sent a portion of their troops, and they will not be sending anymore. Once they have been defeated, this will all die down. I should go and help, like nearly every other man my age in this country." Philip sighed as he watched his lover, still freaking out over him telling her his plans to fight.

"You are a _poet_ , Philip. You are not meant to fight."

"This is our first fight as a real country! I want to be a part of that. If we lose this, it will destroy what little reputation we have as a nation. I want to know that I did everything I could have to help preserve our pride."

Theodosia growled softly. "Pride, again! You Hamiltons and your pride! It always comes back to that, doesn't it, Philip?"

"Theodosia, I am doing this."

She sighed and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. "I worry about you. I worried myself to death when I could not see you for two weeks! I will go insane worrying about you fighting in a war."

Philip stroked her hair softly, desperately trying to think of a way to provide her with some comfort. He had never been good with situations like these, though. Not like he had ever experienced something quite like _this_.

Theodosia kissed his cheek, taking his hand in her own. "If this is what you really want to do, I will support you. Whether I like it or not… It is your choice, I guess."

"I'm glad you feel that way..." Philip murmured, his face buried in her dark hair. "... Because I already signed up."

"WHAT?"

"Shh. You would not want your siblings to wake up, would you?"

"Why would you not talk to me first?"

"I knew how you would react. I knew you would react like _this_."

"... When do you leave?" Theodosia asked, letting her lover plant a loving kiss on the top of her head.

"In two weeks. I want to take you out next Thursday night. One last time, before I go."

"Philip, don't say 'one last time'. It will be far from the last time."

"Of course, love. I will come back to you, I promise. I will write to you every chance I get."

"Please do… Just hurry back."

"As soon as I can be home, darling, I will be."

Time travels quickly when you don't want it to… Before long, Theodosia was looking at the date, saddened by the truth. It was Thursday. Philip was leaving the very next day.

She stayed in her room, getting ready for that night. Philip was taking her out, so she had to get out of her casual clothes. It took her a little while, as she wasn't used to formal clothing. She was only half ready when she heard a knock at her front door, and her father letting Philip in. She couldn't hear anything past that, but she hoped they were getting along.

"Good evening, sir. I hope you are doing well." Philip said, semi-awkwardly. He had never really been alone with Aaron before.

"Quite well. If only Theodosia felt the same. She has been fretting all day," Aaron sighed simply. "She told me about your choice to leave for the military… Noble, definitely. I can respect you for that."

"I have a question for you, sir." Philip bit the inside of his lip nervously.

"Ask away."

"I hope you know how much I love your daughter. I really do… And, I was wondering if you would give us your blessing."

Aaron froze a little, realizing how deadly serious Philip sounded. Was he ready to give his little girl away. To a Hamilton, no less! As much as he tried to overlook it, the fact still remained that Philip was his enemy's son.

Deep down, he knew Philip loved Theodosia just as much as she loved him. As a father, he had certainly noticed the loving glances he gave her. He had noticed the lovingness in every small kiss they had shared around him, every 'I love you' that was said… He knew he couldn't keep those two apart if he tried.

"You have my blessing, Philip."

The younger man's eyes lit up a bit at hearing this, causing a small smile to grace Aaron's face. "You treat her right."

"Of course. Of course, sir, I could never hurt her."

Theodosia came down the stairs at that moment, causing both men to go quiet.

Philip offered his arm. She took it, blinking back the tears that were welling in her eyes.

"No, no," Philip said softly, landing a kiss on her cheek. "A woman as beautiful as you should never cry."

"Where are we going tonight?" Theodosia desperately wanted to get her mind off of it.

"Dinner, and then to my house… My family needs to know."

"Philip, are you sure?"

"If you are not comfortable being there, I will not make you."

"I want to be there."

After a nice dinner, Philip took her walking. They were making their way over to the Hamilton residence, but they took they were taking the long way. There was no sense in hurrying along and ruining the moment.

They stopped by a patch of flowers, just meters from the house. "This is my mother's garden. My father hates it, but she insists that we keep it. Every anniversary, he used to take her out and find the most beautiful flower he could."

Philip looked around as he spoke, trying to make it appear casual. He found a deeply red rose and gently ran a finger over the soft petals. Making sure Theodosia wasn't looking, he plucked it from its stem.

"She would cry every time," He continued, making his way over to her. "He would always end with some sweet line."

"Such as?" Theodosia asked, meeting his eyes.

Philip smoothly placed the rose in her hand, replying, "I wish this flower could express the smallest slice of your beauty."


	18. Chapter 18

Theodosia smiled as she wrapped her hand around the stem, careful to avoid the thorns. "You are too sweet, Philip," She told him softly, bringing it to her nose and breathing in its scent.

"I try," Philip sighed dramatically, wrapping both of his arms around her waist and pulling her closer. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all," She said, giggling as he nuzzled her neck. "So… I guess it is time to tell them."

Philip nodded, letting go of her. He took her hand and led her to the front door, buffering for a second before knocking.

Alexander opened the door, not even noticing the girl standing behind his son. "Philip, it's getting late. You know you do not have to knock."

"Pa, there is something I need to tell you. You and mom both."

The older man visibly became more nervous, but stepped aside to allow the younger of them into the house. Only then did he notice who was with him.

"Philip… Who is this?" He asked, silently hoping his memory was failing him and this girl was _not_ who he thought she was.

"Get mom." Philip ignored his father's question. He needed his mother there. Possibly to calm his father when he started to flip out.

Alexander sighed, annoyed, but hollered for his wife. When she appeared at the doorway, Philip gave her a pleading look. Though Eliza wasn't sure of what her son was so desperate about, she gave him an encouraging nod and took a seat beside her husband.

"Mom, dad… This is Theodosia. My girlfriend."

"Burr?" Alexander let out a soft growl, but calmed down as Eliza gave his hand a squeeze. Still, he softly repeated himself. "Theodosia… Burr?"

Philip nodded, giving a very worried Theodosia a kiss on her cheek. "Yes. Theodosia Burr."

"I will _not_ have my son making acquaintances with the Burr family."

"And why not?" Philip asked. "Maybe you're jealous that _I_ can stay true to her?"

Alexander went silent. So did Philip. The women gave each other a look, both of them desperately praying that this wouldn't result in a fight.

"I… I apologize, father," Philip was the first to speak, not bringing himself to meet Alexander's eyes. "That was uncalled for."

Alexander nodded softly. For once, he didn't have anything to say.

"How long have you two been seeing each other?" Eliza asked, hoping it would change the subject.

"About… Five months, give or take." Theodosia offered, slipping her hand into Philip's.

"Well, Philip," Eliza looked at her son. "If you are happy, I am too. That is all I want for you."

"Thank you, mom." Philip looked up at his father. He knew his mother would be okay with it. It was always Alexander he had been worried about.

"Hey, pa, can you-" Alexander Jr. entered the room, stopping mid-sentence once he had picked up on the awkwardness. "... Bad time?"

"No, no, honey," Eliza said, thankful for someone else being in the room. "What do you need?"

"To know what's going on here." Alexander Jr. smirked, seeing how uncomfortable his elder brother seemed.

"Something that is none of your concern," Alexander said, motioning for the younger of his sons to leave the room.

"No, no. Let him stay." Philip said. "It shouldn't be a big deal."

"Wasn't she with Richard?" Alexander asked, looking at Theodosia.

"I came here with him to check on Philip. I didn't want you guys to recognize me and find out that we were together," Theodosia told him.

"But… Richard likes you," Alexander raised an eyebrow. "How did you not know this?"

"He does not, Alex." Philip rolled his eyes. "You always have to start things, don't you?"

"He does! You should have seen the way he was looking at her. How do you know he will stay away from her when you leave?"

"Richard is my best friend. He would not do something like that to me or Theodosia. Stop overreacting." Philip glared at the younger teen. There's no way Richard would try something like that on Theodosia. Never.

"If you say so, Philip."

"Back to the issue at hand," Eliza said, interrupting what could have turned into an argument between her sons. "We have no problems with you seeing Theodosia, dear. Right, Alexander?"

The older man looked at his wife, before gruffly defying her. "Speak for yourself. I don't want my son seeing a Burr. Or marrying into the Burr family. Sorry, Philip, but I cannot condone this under my roof."

Philip sighed sadly and looked at his father. He was really wishing he would be wrong, that his father would be cool about it. He had never been so disappointed to be right. "Well, then… It's a good thing I am leaving, is it not?"

"You are going to defy me? Philip, you could do so much better than a Burr."

Just like that, Philip's eyes lit up in pure fury. "Are you a whore, father?"

Alexander glared at Philip, but couldn't help but be confused. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Are you a whore, father?" Philip repeated, not backing down from his father's intense gaze.

"Of course not… Philip, what are you on about?"

"Your mother was a whore, was she not? And your father was a deadbeat. Are you a deadbeat?"

"Whatever you are on about, drop it. It won't work."

"How can you claim to be completely different than your parents, yet you judge Theodosia because of things that her father has done. She had no say in anything Aaron Burr might have done to you." Alexander's command went unacknowledged by Philip. "Why can you not just accept that I am happy with her?"

Alexander went quiet for a moment, biting his lip under the disappointed look he was receiving from his wife. "I… I suppose I will have to learn to deal with it. Know that I'm not happy about this, and I doubt I ever will be. But, Philip, you are a grown man, after all. I cannot stop you from doing what you want to."

Philip and Theodosia left the house halfway satisfied.

"That went…" Theodosia started, struggling to find the words.

"Better than expected, in all honesty," Philip finished for her, letting an arm snake lazily around his lover's shoulders.

They approached the door to the Burr house. Theodosia stopped, turning to face Philip.

"I guess this is the last time I will be seeing you for a while." Theodosia bit down on her lip. She _really_ didn't want to cry right then and there, but the tears were threatening to fall.

Philip softly cupped her face in his hands, using his thumbs to gently stroke her cheeks. "Don't think of it like that, love. I will be back here before you know it, I promise."

She hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest and breathing in his scent. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close and kissing the top of her head.

The two of them stayed like that for a while. It could have been thirty seconds. It could have been an hour. Neither of them would have known either way.

When Philip pulled away, Theodosia reluctantly opened the door and stepped inside.

"Have a good night, beautiful," Philip said, softly pressing his lips to hers.

As she kissed back, she started to get emotional. She couldn't accept this. She had to pull away quickly. "You as well. I love you."

"I love you-" The door slammed before the young man could finish his sentence. "-too."

 **A/N: I hope you guys aren't too angry with me for this arc. But it had to happen. I'm sorry. I know what I'll be doing for the next chapter, so I can either give you a shorter chapter this week and another short chapter next Wednesday, or a long one next Wednesday. Your choice. If any of you will vote.**


	19. Chapter 19

Alex only was quiet at the Hamilton residence. Too quiet. With how many people lived there, it could be considered surprising that the absence of one brother could have such an impact, but it really did. Philip had always been the first of the children to wake up and the last to go to sleep, so his siblings had gotten used to him always being there. With him gone, and the fact that he would remain that way for a while, was hanging like a dark cloud over the Hamiltons' heads. It was almost depressing.

Alexander Jr., for one, was trying to remember how to even act himself. Without his elder brother to pick on in the morning, how could he even fully wake up? He groaned softly, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he sipped at a cup of coffee. The rest of his family, sitting around him at the breakfast table, wasn't much better off. They hadn't gotten close to finishing their food, though Alex was already setting his plate with the dirty dishes.

"Dad, may I go out? I want to ask Richard for help on some school work." Alexander Jr. had never been great at understanding things the way he was taught. He often had to have Philip re-explain it to him. However, with his big brother gone, Richard was the next best thing.

"Be back before lunch and don't get killed," His father said simply, not looking up from his plate. "Be careful."

"I will, dad," The young boy said, grabbing his school work and exiting through the front door. He clutched his books close to his chest as he walked. As odd as it seemed for someone with his personality, strangers _did_ make Alex uncomfortable. He made himself as small as possible as he walked through the streets.

Alex knocked on Richard's door, impatiently tapping his foot. It was cold and Alex wanted inside. When Richard let him, though, he couldn't help but notice how odd his brother's friend was acting. He didn't smile at him like he normally would have. He only stepped aside and allowed to younger boy to come inside.

"Did you need something, Alex?" Richard finally asked, gesturing for him to have a seat.

"I just needed some help on schoolwork. Unless you are busy…"

"Not at all, Alex. You know I am always here to help you." Richard sat next to him on the sofa.

Explaining the work didn't take long, and Richard helped him through the whole thing. "What would I do without you and Philip?" Alex asked, smiling softly.

"Flunk out, more than likely."

"Fair enough. Hey, have you seen Theodosia today? How is she doing?"

"Alex, you seem a bit eager. I am sure she's fine. It _has_ only been a day, after all. She is coming over for dinner tonight," Richard chuckled. "Would it possibly be because you have a thing for her?"

"No, no. Philip's my brother. That's not cool… Are you sure _you_ don't have a thing for her?" Alex asked interrogatively. His tone was silly, but he was only half-joking.

"No way, Alex. Philip is my best friend. Why would I do that to him? Theodosia is a good friend too. I don't want to lose her companionship." Richard sounded truthful, but Alex still didn't completely believe him.

"Anyway, thank you for your help." Alex stood and put his coat back on before scooping up his books. "Have fun with Theodosia tonight. But not _too_ much fun. Remember what you said about Philip."

"Before you leave, do me a favor."

Alex stopped, hand still on the doorknob. "What would this favor be?"

"Promise not to come over between two and three. Starting tomorrow. That is when I am going to start working from home, so I want as few interruptions as possible. Before or after is fair game."

"Yeah… Sure, whatever." Alex felt a little weird about the deadpan tone Richard's voice had taken on. Who was _that_ serious about not being interrupted?

"Thank you. Good luck with your school stuff."

Alex nodded a little, biting his lip as he left. Something seriously wasn't right.

Theodosia sighed as she knocked on her younger brother's door. "John. Get up."

"No…" She heard the younger boy whine from inside the room. She rolled her eyes.

"It is nearly ten o'clock. Get up."

"Why? Is Louisa even up?"

"Louisa has been awake for two hours," Theodosia growled a little. Little brothers were a pain. "John Pierre Burr, you have ten minutes to be up and dressed."

"Before what, dear sister?" He teased.

"You do not want to know." She walked away. In all honestly, she didn't know what she would do, but she had to get him out of bed somehow.

"Are you sure you two will be okay on your own tonight?" She asked her half-sister, who was seated on the sofa.

The younger of the girls nodded. "I can handle John. Nothing will happen."

"Louisa, this is serious. Dad will kill me if he comes home to a ruined house. Or a ruined John."

"I know, I know. I am more than capable of watching the brat for a few hours."

"Okay, be nice to each other."

As the evening approached, Theodosia busied herself with preparing dinner for her younger siblings. "Dinner is in the kitchen," She told Louisa, putting her coat on. "I will be back by eight. If I'm not… Well, be in bed by ten."

Louisa nodded, only half-listening to her older sister.

Theodosia left the house, making sure to lock the door behind her. She pulled her coat tightly around her as she made her way to Richard's house. The sun was just starting to set. She groaned internally, as she knew she would end up walking home in the dark. She hated doing that.

She didn't bother to knock. Richard had gotten onto her about that. She entered the house and saw Richard seated in his living room, nose buried in a book.

"Good evening," He said simply, marking his page and setting the book to the side. "How are you feeling?"

"My boyfriend just left to fight in the army. How do you think?" She muttered passively. She hung her coat up. "I am a mess."

"You still look as gorgeous as ever, Theo." Richard stood and retreated to the kitchen. He returned only moments later, a steaming plate of food in each hand. "Other than the matter of Philip leaving, what has been bothering you? Or is it just that?"

"I would like to think it is only that. My father is starting to work overnight. _Again_. He expects me to sit at home and care for Louisa and John all day. Does he not realize I have a life of my own?" Theodosia really had been trying not to grow angry with her father. In all honesty, it wasn't his fault that his job was demanding. She just wished he could be home more often.

"Mmm." The young man swallowed the food in his mouth. "Is it really fair to be upset with him? He just wants what is best for you three."

"I know, but ever since he became vice president…" Theodosia sighed, frustrated. "He used to wake me up every morning. He used to tuck me in every night. Same time, never interrupted. Granted, I was younger. But now, every morning I have to wonder whether I will be cooking breakfast for three or four. I wonder the same thing for lunch, the same thing for dinner. I know I am grown up and I do not have such a dependency any longer, but I worry. I worry if he will even be there for the remainder of Louisa's childhood, or even John's."

"Fret not. He will pull through, I'm sure of it." Richard was now scooting closer, settling right beside Theodosia.

Though slightly weirded out, Theodosia didn't think much of it. After all, was it really _that_ odd for him to sit right next to her? She scooted over a few centimeters, but wasn't concerned enough to move any more than that. It was a barely noticeable different.

The rest of the meal went on in a dreadful silence, with only the occasional bit of small talk that would inevitably die off. It was nearly unbearable, and Theodosia found herself nearly scorching the back of her throat trying to scarf down the hot food so the awkward meal would come to an end.

"Oh, sugar, you have a bit of butter on your face. Hold still." Richard grabbed a napkin, using it to wipe the young woman's face.

Theodosia sat still, furrowing her eyebrows. What the heck was wrong with him? 'Theo?' 'Sugar?' And the whole 'wiping-her-face-for-her' thing was a tad peculiar.

"You really shouldn't eat so fast. You are going to make yourself sick." He was starting to sound like a mother. And an over-protective one at that.

"Would you please quit nagging me?" Theodosia asked, scooting a full cushion away from Richard.

Richard just put his hands up in a mock surrender before continuing to finish his plate.

As Theodosia finished her food, she wiped her face and stood, only to have Richard pull her back down on the couch.

"Don't worry about that," He told her, taking the dirty plate and silverware out of her hands and placing it on top of his own before setting it all on the table. "It will be taken care of later."

As he scooted to the middle cushion of the couch, once again sitting right beside of her, Theodosia began to get nervous. He _never_ acted like this.

Richard's arm fell around Theodosia's shoulders casually, just as the girl had started to calm down. She once again tensed up, trying not to make her discomfort visible.

"Calm down, Theo. What are you so afraid of?" He asked softly. Really softly. It was almost eerie. His hand tangled itself in her dark locks, gently massaging her scalp.

As he leaned in closely, Theodosia started to lean to the side, trying to get as far away as the sofa would let her go. Before she knew it, his lips had landed on hers.

* * *

 **A/N:** **Mes cygnes** **, I know I said it wouldn't be posted until Wednesday. But I finished early and couldn't wait. I hope you enjoy.**

 **P.S. Go check out** ** _A Winter's Ball_** **by JuliaBeans5. It's definitely worth a read.**


	20. Chapter 20

Theodosia shoved Richard off of her, wiping her mouth on her sleeve as she did so. "Richard?! What is wrong with you?!"

"I… I apologize. I truly am deeply sorry. I got a little carried away."

Theodosia stood and made her way over to the coatrack, selecting her coat and putting it on. She spoke as she buttoned it up. "Well, I should really be going. I promised I would be back by 8 and it is already 7:30."

"Let me walk you back. It's dark outside and I don't want you walking through that alone," Richard pleaded, slipping his own shoes on.

Theodosia gave him a nod, and he understand that she was granting him permission to walk her home. "Just promise me _that_ will not happen again."

"Never," Richard promised. He paused to slip on his coat before adding, "Do you think you could keep that just between us? Philip will probably get upset if he finds out."

Once again, Theodosia nodded. "I won't tell him," She told the man with a sigh. " _This_ time."

"It will not happen again," Richard said. "Thank you for being so cool about this."

"... Do you have feelings for me?"

"Pardon?" Richard now looked uncomfortable, biting down on the inside of his lip and avoiding Theodosia's eyes.

"You heard me, Richard. Do you have feelings for me?" Theodosia asked again, not shying down. She wanted to know. She _needed_ to know.

Richard let out a saddened breath before nodding. "Yes. I do. But, I will move on. Your and Philip's friendships mean more to me than my personal feelings."

Theodosia was a bit touched by that. "Thank you, Richard… Now, shall we be going?"

"We shall." He offered her his arm, and Theodosia reluctantly accepted it. He walked her home, wishing he hadn't screwed up. Sure, he had planned to do _something_ , but the heat of them moment got him carried away.

"Have a nice night, Richard." Theodosia said, stepping into the house and turning around to face him. "Thank you for dinner."

"No problem," Richard replied. "Good night."

Theodosia walked farther into the house, shutting the door behind her. Richard stuck his foot in, stopping the door from clicking shut. As soon as Theodosia had disappeared up the stairs, he stuck a small, nearby rock in the door. He nonchalantly walked home, never once turning back.

Theodosia glanced at the time, sighing in disappointment. All of that and it was only 9:20. "Louisa?" She called for her sister. "Did you leave a window open? It is rather cold in here."

The younger girl shook her head. "I never opened a window."

Theodosia sighed. "Well, where is John?"

"In his room." Louisa kept her nose buried in her book. "Probably pouting because I wouldn't let him go outside."

"Well, thank you. What is he thinking? He isn't even eleven years old." Theodosia picked up a couple of dirty plates from the table. "And how many times have I told you two to clean up your dishes?"

"A lot," Louisa said apathetically. "How many times has dad told you not to nag us?"

"Young lady. I am in charge here while he is gone. He has said so himself." _Freaking teenagers._

"Don't snap at me because your boyfriend ran off with the military." Theodosia glared, but decided not to escalate the situation any further.

She dumped the dishes in the sink and made Louisa wash them. "Go to bed when you are finished."

Theodosia stayed up a little later than she normally would. The clock struck midnight just as she was thinking about going to bed. She took a glance out of the window she had opened, and she swore she could have seen a figure disappear into the trees. She squinted her eyes, hoping her tired mind was playing tricks on her. When she was unable to see anything, she shut the window and went to bed.

Alex flopped on the sofa, finally finished with everything. Chores, homework, his job. Everything was over with for the day. He sighed a little. His head was pounding.

As much as he wanted to, he couldn't stop thinking. _What was up with Richard? He's never like that. And what the heck is he going to be doing from two to three that required absolutely_ _ **no**_ _distractions?_ It was almost unsettling.

"Mom, can you bring me a cold washcloth?" He hollered burying his face in a throw pillow. He just wanted this day to be done and over with.

As Eliza appeared in the doorway, he looked up at her. "Thank you," He told her as she handed him the damp piece of cloth.

"Do you have a headache, dear?" She asked, sitting on the edge of the sofa.

Alex only nodded. He put the washcloth on his head. "School has really been cracking down."

"You miss Philip, don't you?" She asked, seeing right through the tough facade her son attempted to put on.

Alex nodded. "It's so different with him gone. I hope he's okay."

"He _did_ only leave this morning. Certainly he hasn't gotten himself into too much trouble yet…" Eliza changed the subject. The last thing she wanted to think about was this. "Help me with dinner."

Alex stood up, holding the washcloth to his forehead. "Where did dad go?"

"He had a last-minute job at work." She walked her son to the kitchen. "He should be back soon."

As time ticked by, Alexander came home from work. He was a little late, but dinner was still hot and Eliza was still happy to see him.

"Alex, help your sister with the dishes."

" _Alex, help your sister with the dishes._ " Alex mumbled mockingly. Of course. It was always him. Welcome to the life of one of the oldest. "Angie can handle the dishes."

One look from Eliza sent him back to the kitchen.

He sat at the kitchen table. Like heck he was going to help with the dishes when he had made dinner. He watched his parents through the doorway, careful to stay out of eyesight.

"This is amazing, darling." At least, that's what he thought his father had said. He was struggling to read their lips, as they were talking too quietly to be heard.

They were both smiling. It had been a while since the two of them had looked truly happy together. It reminded Alex of when he was younger, before that affair had sent a ripple through the family. As they kissed, he almost smiled himself. Maybe they really did still love each other.

 **A/N: There's this week's update. I know the updating times have gotten sorta wonky, but next week will bring us back to every Wednesday. Until then, mes cygnes.**


	21. Chapter 21

"Good morning, beautiful."

Theodosia opened her eyes. She hadn't heard that since the last time she had woken up next to Philip. She almost smiled. Then she remembered that her boyfriend was away, and likely would be for a little while to come. She didn't recognize where she was, either. The walls were a light brown, instead of the deep brown of her bedroom walls.

She didn't recognize anything in the room… But she definitely recognized the man watching her from the doorway.

"Richard, what am I doing here? Where am I?"

"It's only my house. I have been saving this room for you for a while." The man smiled at her. "Did you know you mumble in your sleep? It must have been something about dear Philip. You held onto me rather tightly when I picked you up."

"Why did you bring me here?" Theodosia stood up. She backed away as Richard took a step closer to her. "Richard, answer me."

"Why do you think, Theodosia? Surely a smart girl like yourself can figure this out. It does not take a genius."

"If… If this had anything to do with that kiss earlier… You know what? Forget this. Forget all of this. Let me out."

"I apologize, my darling, but I cannot do that. Especially after I went through the trouble to get you here."

"Did you do anything to John and Louisa? Please… Please tell me you let them be," Theodosia begged, her head filling with concern for her siblings.

"I do not wish to hurt you. I left them at home." He wrapped his arms around her. "Just relax."

"Let go of me." Theodosia struggled, trying to push him off of her.

He just tightened his grip. "The less you fight me, the fewer issues we're going to have."

"Why are you doing this?" She persisted. "I thought I was your friend. I thought _Philip_ was your best friend!"

"We can just forget about Philip for now. I appreciate that he did me the favor of making this easy… He's so easy to anger, is he not? Getting him _away_ was no problem." He set a plate on the nightstand. "I just wanted to bring you breakfast. We can get to the real fun after lunch."

That made Theodosia nervous. 'Real fun?' What was that supposed to mean? She normally would have put anything _too_ bad beneath Richard. But, after all of this, she felt like she didn't know him at all.

"Richard…"

"I will see you later, my darling." He shut the door. Theodosia heard the sound of it locking from the outside. As if her week hadn't been bad enough.

She had no idea what to do. She could try to escape, but there were no windows and no way she could break down the wall. If she managed to get the door open, he was bound to be paying more attention than to allow her to escape down the hall.

Maybe if somebody came over, she could holler for help, but who knows what he would do then? Would he try to hurt her? He was so different now. She thought she knew him. Him and Philip had been as close as brothers! How could he do this to him?

As the day ticked by, Theodosia wished he had at least put a clock in there. She couldn't tell if it had been three hours or forty minutes. It was a long wait, regardless, and the boredom itself could have killed her. She was almost relieved when Richard stepped into the room again.

"Behave yourself, and this won't be an issue. I am going to eat with you." Richard handed her a plate, which she gladly took. Sure, he was crazy, but he was her only source of food at the moment.

"You know, I'm sure you could go out and find someone. You really do not have a need to kidnap your best friend's girlfriend."

"Watch the attitude, sweetheart," He said simply, taking a seat on her bed. He patted the spot beside him and she sat down, figuring it was best to do what he wanted for the time being.

She fought the urge to scoot away when his arm snaked around her waist. "What time is it?"

"Nearly two o'clock. The real fun will start happening then, of course."

"Can you please tell me what you are going to do?"

"You will know soon enough." He unwrapped his arm from her waist, instead resting a hand on her thigh.

Theodosia crossed her legs. As she continued to eat, her anxiety worsened. Deep down, in the back of her mind, she was assuming the worst. She didn't want to, but she couldn't stop it.

As soon as both of their plates were cleaned, Richard wasted no time taking the dish from her hands and messily dumping it onto the nightstand along with his own.

He pushed her down on the bed, pinning her wrists to the mattress. She looked away to not face him, but he didn't seem bothered as he took off his shirt and threw it onto the floor.

"Richard… Please… Don't do this…" She begged, tears welling up in her eyes. "You are better than this."

"The easier you make this for me, the easier it will be for you, my darling. You just lie there and look pretty. It will only hurt for a moment," He whispered in her ear, sliding his hand under her back to fiddle with her dress. It didn't take him long to get it undone.

Tears started to stream down her face. "Please, Richard…"

As he pulled a little ways away, she almost thought he was really going to stop. She nearly mentally screamed with joy…

She thought wrong.

 **A/N: If I had any Richard fans out there, I am so sorry. I know this got a little dark, but try to bear with me. Until next week, mes cygnes.**


	22. Chapter 22

Weeks passed. Richard got worse and worse… Theodosia was praying for a rescue. It was awful. The bruises on her thighs grew darker nearly every day… It was horrible. On occasion, he would hit her if he even felt like she planning an escape. Not like she would be able to anyway. Richard was six feet tall and well-built. Theodosia was lucky to reach 5'6 in heels and had no upper body strength whatsoever. It would never work.

She knew her family was worried out of their minds. She should have at least written Richard's location down somewhere. Maybe then they would have found her by then. But there was a surprising lack of rescuers for the vice president's daughter to be missing.

 _My Dearest Theodosia,_

 _Things are really going well for us. I hope you are not worrying too much. We have been told that, at this rate, we should be home before you know it. How are things at home? I really hope that you are happy and that Richard is taking good care of you. I asked that of him before I left. Please don't mind too much._

 _I just thought I would write you to let you know that I am not hurt. The fighting really is not as horrid_

 _as was expected. We have had no deaths. They barely classify it as a battle. I suppose the British were not very serious about this whole fighting thing. If they were, their attempt is pretty pathetic. I know you were probably driving yourself mad worrying about me, but do not bother with it. I will be home very soon._

 _I am afraid that this is all I can afford to write at the moment. I promise that I will write again soon as I can._

 _Forever Yours,_

 _Philip Hamilton_

Aaron sighed as he finished reading the letter. That boy was really something else. Why did this have to happen when he was gone and couldn't protect Theodosia? He wasn't sure Philip would have been able to do anything anyway. It happened while she was at home, unless she had snuck out that late at debated just hiding the letter and having nothing to do with it, but decided that Philip had the right to know.

Picking up a quill, Aaron debated on what he would say. How in the world should somebody break news like this? He really longed for his enemy's literary genius. He would make it sound gentle and flowery, nothing like the hard, cold truth that it really was.

 _Philip,_

 _I am writing to tell you Theodosia has recently gone missing. We do not have so much as a theory of where she could have gone. We are looking for her anywhere we can, but nothing has popped up so far. The government has put her on a back burner, because of this sad excuse for a war. Whatever you do, do not drive yourself mad worrying about her. It will solve nothing. I apologize that you had to find out this way._

 _Aaron Burr_

Aaron quickly read over it. It wasn't great, but it would have to do. He sent it. He knew it would be a short while before Philip received the news, but he would come running home as soon as he did. If the authority allowed him to, that is.

He thought. And thought and thought and thought. He had been doing a lot of thinking lately. More than was healthy, more than likely. He had had a bad feeling about Richard Price from the beginning, but that was nothing compared to the feeling he had of the young man now. If he was such a good friend to Theodosia, he surely would have showed up to help or at least ask about her. But they had gotten nothing from him.

Sure, Aaron had tried to use his vice-presidential privileges to find out the boy's address. That didn't succeed when Jefferson had scolded him about 'bringing his home life into the workplace'. Jesus, he hated that guy.

Then, something clicked. It was so obvious. He felt stupid for not thinking of it earlier. The other Hamiltons! Philip came from a large family. Certainly at least one of them had to know the eldest child's best friend on a personal level!

The only problem he could think of was Alexander. There was no doubt that he had brainwashed his children into believing that a Burr should send you running for the hills. Then again, that hadn't stopped Philip.

Aaron sucked up his pride and left the house. He knew where the Hamiltons lived, but he doubted he was welcome on the property. Still, this was his daughter on the line. Surely Alexander would understand. He knocked on the door.

Eliza opened the door. "Mister Burr, what a surprise. Alexander is not here right now, but if you came to see him-"

"No, no. It is probably for the best that we do not see each other today. I just need to ask if you happen to know where Richard Price lives."

"No, actually. But my son does. Alex! Come down here!"

As the fifteen year old came down the stairs, he looked very confused upon seeing Aaron at the door. "What is he doing here?" Alex asked.

"He needs to know where Richard lives."

"Why?" He looked at Aaron.

"Theodosia… She has been missing for a couple of weeks. It has been kept way too quiet, but I think he might know something."

"Oh my…" Alexander hurried out of the house, promising his mother he would be home by dinner on the way. "Of course I'll help you. Do you just want me to show you?"

"Actually, I was hoping you would go in and talk to him."

"All right. That will work…. What time is it?"

"1:45," Aaron answered.

Alex remembered what Richard had said… But at that moment, he didn't care. "I'll talk to him."

 **A/N: Mes cygnes, I'm sorry this chapter sucks and that it's late. I couldn't write for anything when I tried, and I had a migraine Wednesday night. I hope you still love me.**


	23. Chapter 23

2:00. Theodosia could never put how much she hated that time into words. That was the time, every day, when Richard would come in and do whatever he felt like doing to her. It left her feeling sick and dirty. She was ignored for the rest of the day, except for when he brought her meals or clothes or let her bathe. She felt like a pinned-up, abused dog. Nothing more. The only good thing was that it kept her mind off of Philip. For the most part, at least. She still worried about him, but she didn't have to dread on the thoughts.

She looked up as the door opened. She cringed as she saw Richard there. She expected him, but she would never get used to that sight. That cold, psychotic gleam in his eyes. The same eyes that had once looked at her so warmly. She had thought he wouldn't hurt a fly. Of course, she realized how wrong she was now. _Now_.

"What do you want?" She tried to sound cold, but it just came out sounding like the whine of a kicked puppy.

"You should know by now, my darling," He put a finger underneath her chin, using it to tilt her head up. She quickly turned away.

"Still being difficult, are we?" A perverse smile overtook his features. "If that is what you wish."

Richard shoved her against the wall. Theodosia's vision went unsteady as her skull hit the hard wood.

"I guess you just like it rough…" He whispered fiendishly.

Theodosia whimpered. "Please, Richard… Don't do this…"

"How many times have you tried to do that, sweetheart?" He mumbled, his voice almost humdrum. "And how many times has it worked for you?"

"How long did you say she has been gone?" Alexander asked.

"Three weeks," Aaron replied. With every passing second, his throat felt more and more like it was going to close up. He wanted nothing more than to have his daughter returned home safely.

"Don't worry. Richard will definitely tell us if he knows something." Alex picked up the pace. "His house is just around this corner." He didn't know what was happening with him. He was getting a really bad feeling about whatever was about to happen… He really hoped he would be wrong.

As he and Aaron arrived at the front door, he didn't knock. "Stay here," He told the older man. He opened the door…

Richard wasn't in there. Alex stepped into the house, wondering what the heck could be going on. He heard hysterical sobbing from the down the hall. As he went to investigate, he picked up a riding crop. This really didn't seem good.

He hurried down to the room. It was definitely a woman… He kicked open the door and couldn't believe his eyes… It was disgusting. The last thing he would have wanted to see.

"You… You sick _bastard_! Philip is your friend!" Alex let anger slowly boil up inside of him. "Get off of her!" He smacked his ex-friend on the back with the riding crop. He knew it would leave a mark.

"Theodosia…" He kneeled beside her. He had never wanted to see his brother's girlfriend naked. He had never wanted to see her with tears streaming down her face either, but he was two for two now. He whacked Richard again, wishing he could do worse. But she was his first priority.

He helped her into her clothes, making sure that Richard wouldn't make a run for it. He was sure he wouldn't be able to get far with Aaron waiting at the door, but he didn't know what Richard was capable of anymore.

How had he not figured this out earlier? Of course Richard would have been the reason Philip joined the army. He wanted him out of the way, no matter if that meant dead or away!

As Alex wiped the tears from Theodosia's face, he gently wrapped his arms around her. He helped her stand. "Your father is outside right now. Go to him. While I deal with _this_." He gestured to the other man in the room.

As soon as Theodosia was safely out of the room, Alex turned back to Richard. He had dropped the riding crop in his moment of panic, but was making his way back over to it.

Richard didn't look concerned in the least. He looked like he could be enjoying himself, even. A smirk was on his face.

"By all means, Alex, feel free to bear that riding crop until the cows come home." His voice took on a mocking tone, which angered Alex even more. "Just know that you will lose." With that, he reached into his jacket.

Alex found himself meeting the business end of a bayonet.

"Theodosia, honey, whatever happened?" Aaron quickly pulled his weeping daughter into his embrace. He stroked her hair as she choked out what could have been words, but were too disguised by her sobs.

With her head buried in her father's chest, Theodosia tried to explain everything. But she couldn't. Even thinking back to it hurt her, despite it being about all she could think about at the time.

"Shh, darling." Between his soft whispers of sweet nothings and his strong arms wrapped around her, she felt like a little kid again. Like she was safe. But she would never again have that innocence.

"Daddy… Alex is in there with him. He's crazy."

"Calm down, sweetheart. Listen to me. We are going to get him taken care of. Alex will be fine." Really, Aaron didn't know if that was true. He was just too relieved to have his daughter back to think about much of anything else at the moment.

"Please just go help him. You have fought in a war. Surely the two of you can take him!"

As soon as the words had left Theodosia's mouth, a scream was heard from inside the house.

 **A/N: Sucky. Sucky. Sucky chapter. Sorry, cygnes.  
I want to say thank you to all of those who review and/or private message me. It really means a lot to me. Until next week!**


	24. Chapter 24

_Philip,_

 _I am writing to tell you Theodosia has recently gone missing. We do not have so much as a theory of where she could have gone. We are looking for her anywhere we can, but nothing has popped up so far. The government has put her on a back burner, because of this sad excuse for a war. Whatever you do, do not drive yourself mad worrying about her. It will solve nothing. I apologize that you had to find out this way._

 _Aaron Burr_

Philip freaked out on the inside as he read through it. Theodosia? Missing? How? He really wanted to go home now, but there was no way he could. But how could he focus on his job when he knew his girlfriend had gone missing? Had they found her yet?

"Great. Just great. Nathan, read this." He exasperatedly thrust the letter toward his friend, who took it and read it over.

"Wow, Phil. I'm sorry." Nathan said sympathetically. The boy had very strong emotions, and was too soft to be in a war. Even one as easy as this one.

Philip hadn't even had to kill anybody. He really hoped it wouldn't have to come to that.

"I hope nobody got a hold of her..." Really, nobody hated Theodosia _that_ much. But it was hard to tell.

"Guys, we won!" Their general ran in, throwing his gun down. "They called off the war!"

"We haven't even fought! Just like that?" Philip asked, looking up in shock.

"General Hester, does that mean we are free to go?" Nathan looked up hopefully.

"Not quite yet, Tindall. We have to attend a peace conference. For a war that lasted three weeks."

Nathan almost groaned softly, but stopped himself. "All of us?"

"That is what they requested, yes. The peace treaty will be signed there."

Nathan looked at the Philip, then whispered, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Philip nodded grimly. How was the general not? Who makes all of the enemies gather in one place for _peace_ conference? This was no agreement that they were planning. He stood.

"Sir, with all due respect, are you certain that it is safe for all of us to go? I mean, what other conferences have required ordinary soldiers to attend?" His fellow soldiers began to mumble in agreement among themselves. "Why not just our leaders?"

"That is the way it is going to be, Hamilton. Like it or not." The general looked around, narrowing his eyes at nearly every man in the tent. "Do you think we are that stupid? Of course it will be safe. They have surrendered, for heaven's sake!"

Philip only nodded, not convinced in the least. "Yes, sir. I apologize."

General Hester's eyes rested on the young man in front of him, then he turned on his heel to leave. "Rest up. We will be on our way tomorrow."

As the men watched their general exit, Julian Alban approached Philip.

"Hey, Philip, I believe this is yours." He handed Philip an envelope, signed with Richard's familiar handwriting.

Philip grinned and took the letter. "Yes, yes. Thank you, Julian." He was overjoyed to see Theodosia's next-door neighbor there. While they weren't close, they had grown to be friends with the few short conversations they had managed in the time of Philip and Theodosia's relationship.

He tore open the envelope quickly. He had been waiting for Richard to write him.

 _Philip,_

 _How is the war so far? I hope that you are well. You have no idea how much I, as your best friend, wish I could be there with you. You should not be facing this alone._

 _I am afraid I have some bad news. Theodosia... Well, Phil, she tried to come onto me. She is not as faithful as she claims to be... I'm so sorry. You really do deserve better, Philip. But do not fret so much about this. You have bigger and better things on your mind, surely._

 _Best wishes,  
_

 _Richard Price_

All Philip could do was bite his lip as he read over the note again. This wasn't adding up. _Somebody_ was lying to him. First, Aaron says she's gone missing and has been missing for weeks, then Richard claims she is there and flirting with others? He was certain he was being deceived.

And, in all honesty, he was willing to put more trust into his future father-in-law than his long-time best friend.

He loved Richard. They were as close as close could be. At least, that's what Philip had believed for the longest time. Then, he had started seeing Theodosia and Richard started to change... He couldn't say exactly what it was, but something was definitely not right with the story that Richard was trying to feed him.

Philip started to think harder than he ever had. It was possible that Theodosia was in danger, and the threat was the person he was supposed to be able to trust to take care of her! Then, something clicked in the back of his mind. That room. He should have known! No average person just _has_ a room like that in their house... As much as he wished he could, Philip knew he couldn't do much from his situation. He opted to re-package the letter from Richard in a new envelope, then write the address of the Burr residence on the outside. Aaron needed to know what Richard was saying.

As he put the letter on the small table beside his cot, Nathan blew out their candle. "Good night, Philip."

Philip rolled over and rested his head on the poor-quality pillow. "Good night, Nathaniel."

Nathan only rolled his eyes at the insisted use of his full name. As he struggled to get comfortable in his own cot, his ears picked up a faint sound from outside the tent. Two voices. Talking with low, British accents.

 **A/N: Yes, yes. Late. Again. I'm garbage. I'm sorry.**


	25. Chapter 25

"Phil," Nathaniel whispered softly, struggling to be as quiet as he possibly could. He reached out to grab his friend's hand. "Philip."

Philip looked up at him, pulling his hand out of the other man's grasp. "What?" His annoyed voice's volume matched Nathan's, though they both still felt as if they were waking up the other men in the tent.

"Do you hear that?" Nathan's eyes scanned the sleeping men around them, making sure none of them stirred. "It sounds like General Hester. And… I don't know who that is."

Philip put his ear at close as he could to the source of the sound. Nathaniel was right. It did sound like the general.

"Not to worry. They will be there tomorrow. Have the men ready."

Philip couldn't help but reach over and give his friend's hand a squeeze. This was really bad. He knew that Nathaniel had a wife and child on the way to get back to… He had to get him back home.

As the voices stopped and the footsteps faded away, Philip reached over and shook Julian awake, explaining what had happened in a hushed voice.

"Find the other general," Julian told him.

Philip blinked. "Other general?"

The older man nodded. "General Burke. He doesn't do much for our group, but he is in this area… I'm sure you can talk to him really early tomorrow morning."

"I guess we can try that… Nathaniel, do you think you could stay up and wake me in several hours? Then you can go to sleep and I will talk to General Burke." Philip offered, sighing in relief when his friend nodded. The Hamilton put his head on the pillow, and drifted back to sleep.

"Richard, put it down." Alex stood his ground, never once letting an ounce of fear show. Richard could fight. Of course he could have joined the military with Philip. He just didn't want to. He wanted Philip out of the way, and he obviously didn't care if it was temporarily or permanently.

"Alexander, you look so cute right now. Put the crop down and let the big kids deal with their own affairs," Richard snarled at the younger boy, taking a jab at him.

Alex screamed as the bayonet impaled his hip. He fell to the ground as Richard pulled it back out. Blood pooled around him. "Really, Richard?" He choked out. "You are going to fight a kid?"

Richard took a step toward him, but the door flew open just in time.

Aaron stood, gun at the ready, using every ounce of his self-control not to shoot as he aimed it at Richard. "Leave him alone," He said simply, quickly making his way over to Alex and kneeling at his side. He made sure to keep an eye on the man on the other side of the room.

Really, Aaron had two options. First, he could go after Richard and leave Alex there. But, with the condition the boy was in, leaving him alone and untreated for any amount of time could prove perilous. The parent in him made him go with the second, which was immediately getting Alex medical care. It was more important.

"Can you walk?" He asked, though he knew the answer was no.

The teen shook his head, so Aaron picked him up, trying to spare him from as much pain as possible. He carried him out the front door and sent Theodosia to the Hamiltons house to let them know what had happened.

"Mom, yes, I am going to live." Alex struggled to get through to his mother. He was on bedrest, yes, but the doctor had already said that nothing too bad would come of this.

"I just worry about you, sweetheart," Eliza said, planting a kiss on her son's forehead.

Alex shook his head. "Please, mom, don't do this."

Eliza got quieter. She leaned in closer, whispering, "Are they really getting along?"

Alex looked to where his mother was gesturing. To his (and everybody's) surprise, he saw his father talking to Aaron Burr. How the heck? Well, Aaron had possibly saved his life… But his father would never want to acknowledge that.

"I… I suppose I should thank you, Mr. Burr." Alexander Sr. twiddled his thumbs, wishing he didn't have to do this. Yes, he was extremely grateful that somebody had been there to help his son. But why, out of all people, did it have to be Aaron Burr?

"Don't mention it," Aaron said awkwardly. "He did help me save my daughter, after all."

"Where did she run off to, anyway?" Alexander was struggling to keep the horribly awkward silence away.

"She didn't 'run off' to anywhere. She was kidnapped. By a certain Richard Price."

"Richard?" Alexander couldn't believe it. He had known Richard ever since he and Philip had become friends. When they were ten! "Why would he do such a thing? He didn't seem like the type."

"Apparently… he was interested. Very interested. Interested enough to just take what he wanted…" Aaron grit his teeth. He had never felt so angry. _Never_.

Theodosia dried herself off and got dressed. After all of that, a warm bath was definitely what she needed. "John? Louisa?" She stepped into the main room. "John?" She peeked around the corner. "Louisa?"

She bit her lip and ran up the stairs, opening her brother's door. "John?"

Nobody.

She hurried across the hall, opening the other bedroom door. "Louisa?"

Once again…

Nobody.

 **A/N: This one jumps around a lot. Sorry. I couldn't write to save my life this week. Grr**


	26. Chapter 26

"John, Louisa?" Theodosia hollered as she ran down the stairs. She let out a huge sigh of relief as she saw her two siblings out in the front yard. She opened the front door. "You two get in here. You had me worried sick."

The two children stood and began to make their way inside. John rolled his eyes and shuffled his feet, annoyed, while Louisa ran over to hug her older sister.

"Finally! We missed you. Did we not, John?"

"I could have done without the nagging, really." John mumbled, earning him an elbow to the ribs. Courtesy of Louisa, of course.

"What happened?"

Theodosia only shook her head. "It's over… I really wish to forget it."

She was thankful when her siblings dropped it. Of course, John was still being pouty, but whatever. He would get over it.

When their father arrived home, Theodosia curled up on his bed with him and spilled her guts. She told him everything he had done to her. As much as it hurt her to relive every agonizing second of that hell, it felt good to tell somebody. And if anybody deserved to know, it was her father. Well, he was the next best thing, with Philip still gone.

As soon as she had fallen asleep, still resting her head on her Aaron's chest, he began to write.

 _General Zachary Burke,_

 _This is the father-in-law of Mister Philip Hamilton. I would greatly appreciate if he could be made aware of the fact that his lover has been found and safely returned home. I am sure he has been worrying himself sick and he certainly has other things to worry about at the moment._

 _Please get him home as soon as possible. Normally, I would never consider asking this of you. I do not want this fighting rushed or distracted in any sort of way. If there is still a lot of fighting to be done, do not worry about this. But she is shaken up and needs him back as soon as he possibly can get back to her._

 _Sincerest Regards from the Vice President of the United States of America,_

 _Aaron Burr_

He couldn't but feel odd as he signed with the title. But he wanted Philip to get back to Theodosia quickly, and throwing out the vice president card usually helped him get what he wanted. He slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb his sleeping daughter, and set about sending the letter.

Nathaniel sighed, annoyed. His friend had asked him to stay up, but he might as well not have. Philip didn't even fall asleep, like he was supposed to do.

"Philip," He whispered, "Go to sleep. I can handle this."

"I can't sleep, Nathan. How am I supposed to sleep when all I can think about is my missing girlfriend?" Philip whispered back, desperately attempting to control his volume. He grabbed a piece of parchment and began to scribble down his thoughts.

 _My Dearest Theodosia,_

Nathan looked over his friend's shoulder, occasionally catching a phrase or two as he wrote. Honestly, did the man have any other hobbies?

As the sun started to rise, Philip left the tent. He hunted down General Burke, eventually finding him just before they were all supposed to be awake.

"Sir, can I talk to you?" He asked nervously. He knew military officials could take harmless things in weird ways. He was in no mood to run ten miles and then be ambushed. That would make for a rather unfortunate Thursday.

"And what would that be, Hamilton?" Burke simply replied, sounding bored. But that was better than angry.

He explained everything. He felt like he was just going to be out of the frying pan and into the fire, but he knew it was worth it when his troop was told that the trip was to be postponed. They had two more days… And then what? Would they still have to go and be attacked? Or would they be saved from that?

The next day, Philip was terrified as General Burke pulled him to the side.

"Hamilton. I would like a word with you."

As he went to the side to talk with his general, he could feel his heart stop. Burke's face looked grim.

"I received a letter from Aaron Burr. He claimed to be your father-in-law."

"Future, father-in-law, sir."

General Burke ignored his comment. "Your lover has been found. He wants you to know that she is at home and safe. He also wants you to come back." He observed the younger man's facial expression for a few seconds before he continued. "Normally, I would deny such a request. But, with the combination of the request coming from the Vice President and your father being Alexander Hamilton, I have decided to allow you to return early."

After all, was nepotism always so bad?

"Get ready to go. I will be releasing you later today."

"Thank you, sir." That was all Philip could manage to say. It was taking every ounce of self-control that he possessed not to cry from happiness and relief. He hurried back to the tent, wiping his eyes on his sleeve before anybody could say. All except Julian and Nathaniel. He couldn't keep anything from those two.

"Aww, is our little poet getting emotional?" Julian teased. "Theodosia?"

Philip only had to nod for a smile to appear on both of the other men's faces. He couldn't believe it. He just couldn't believe it. After all of this emotional roller coaster, it was over.

He was finally going home.

 **A/N: There you go. A little bit of happiness for you. I know this story has been getting dark. Happy chapter for you. And it's not late, Guest.**


	27. Chapter 27

Alex panted as he reached the bottom of the staircase. He had been out of constant doctor's care for a while, but he still got winded with ease. "Pa…"

The older man lifted his son, putting him down once he had reached the sofa. "What are you doing out of your room?"

Alex only shrugged. "Bored."

His father rolled his eyes. "You need to be on bed rest."

"The doctor never said that. All I have to do is take it easy. Was it not one of your best friends who was shot in the leg and just kept fighting?"

"Marquis is a handful, Alex. Don't do what he did."

"At least he has remained faithful to his wife…" Alex Jr. mumbled, earning the mother of all glares from his father. "... Sorry."

"Little boy, do not make me-" Alexander was cut off by a knock at the door. As he scurried to answer it, his wife came around the corner. She began to fuss over Alex Jr., much to the teen's irritation.

As Alexander opened the door, his eyes widened in shock at the sight of his eldest son. "Philip?!" The other two people in the room looked up with wide grins. "You're home!"

Philip nodded as he put his bag down to hug his father, only to be all but tackled by his younger brother. "Whoa, there, I missed you too," He whispered. His eyes narrowed as he noticed the rather large bandage on Alex. "What happened to you?"

"Richard happened, Philip," Alexander cut in gravely. "He… He repeatedly…" He couldn't bring himself to say it. " _Assaulted_ Theodosia and then ran your brother through with a bayonet."

As the twenty year-old began to fret, his mother put her hands on his shoulders. "They are both safe and home now, Philip. I understand your anger, but you just got home. We need you to be the Philip we know right now."

Philip calmed himself as much as he could, then turned around and hugged his mother.

"My big brave boy is back," Eliza smiled, stroking his face softly, earning a groan from her son.

"Mom, please, don't do this…" He turned away from her. "Can I take Alex somewhere?"

"That depends. He really is not feeling well. Where do you need to go?"

"Can I tell you later? Please, it will not be anything too hard on him."

"Eliza, let the boys go. Be back before dinner. Your siblings will want to see you."

With a promise to do just that, Philip and Alex were out the door. "Where are we going?" The younger of the two asked.

"You are going to help me pick a ring."

"Philip left! He got sent home!" Nathan gasped. "What do you think he did? Is he in trouble?"

"Calm down. Maybe they found his girlfriend or something," Julian continued to clean his rifle. "He is safe and out of the way. That is all I want for him. Besides, you know he's not the type to do anything bad enough to be sent home."

"True…" Nathan mumbled. "Do you think he talked to General Burke?"

Julian shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe Burke has no plans to change the course of action. All we can do is hope for the best right now."

"Gentlemen," The very General they had been discussing entered the room. "We will be leaving for the negotiating as soon as possible. General Hester has run into a bit of an issue."

"Sir, are you sure we should do this? It could be a tr-"

"Alban, silence."

Julian went quiet.

"We are going. Nevermind any sort of rumour you lot have whipped up. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir." Julian eyes drifted to look at Nathan, who was seated at his side. "I apologize."

"Aaron." Thomas sighed as he looked at the most recent news reports. "I understand that you sent a letter to General Zachary Burke. You used your position to get Philip Hamilton sent home?"

"I did, sir, yes. Surely you can understand."

Thomas only nodded. "Tell me something, Burr, do you want Philip to marry into your family?"

"He is a very worthy young man. If anybody has to marry my little girl, I suppose I would rather it be Philip than anybody else. Even if he is a Hamilton."

"Aaron, you know I do not like Alexander any more than you do. But he is much better to have as a friend than as an enemy. You two are going to be family soon. Do you not think it wise to put this little feud behind you? I'll hate him enough for the both of us!"

"I am certain you will, Mr. Jefferson." Aaron sighed, putting on his coat. "I should be going. I have a few things to pick up before I come home."

Aaron headed off to buy a few items (mainly consisting of a present for Louisa's upcoming fifteenth birthday). As he heard an all-too-familiar voice, he turned his head to find the source. There was Alex and Philip. The elder of the two had a small box in his hand and was fiddling nervously as he questioned his brother.

"Are you sure she will like it?"

"Phil, I think she will be much too happy to see you to even notice the ring."

"I'm serious, Alex. I want to make her happy."

"You already do, Philip. You already do. Now shut the heck up and tell me. How are you going to ask?"

Philip pulled an envelope out of his jacket. "Actually, I want you to help with that as well. All I need you to do is give her this." He pulled the letter out of the envelope and handed it to Alex.

Alex began to unfold it. He only got to read ' _My Dearest Theodosia'_ before Philip stopped him.

"No. Just give it to her."

 **A/N: I hope you are enjoying the happiness. I'm sorry it can't last much longer.** **;)**


	28. Chapter 28

Theodosia groaned as she finished puking her guts out. Stupid stomach bug.

As she wiped her mouth, the door opened.

"Hey, sweetheart." Aaron kissed her forehead. "How are you doing?"

"Better, daddy, _much_ better."

He took her hands in his, squeezing softly. He raised her left hand to his lips and gently kissed the best of it. "Sweetheart, you know that you will always be my little girl, right? No matter what."

"Of course, dad. Why would you ask such a thing?"

"Oh, you'll see soon enough." Aaron whispered. "Just remember that in a little while. I will be in my study if you need me."

"That was weird..." Theodosia muttered as she watched him disappear through the doorway.

* * *

Alex knocked on the door, listening for any sign of Theodosia scurrying around. Surprisingly, the door was open within ten seconds. "Hi, Theodosia. Uh, Philip sent this letter. He wants me to give it to you."

"Oh, thank you. Come on in," Theodosia smiled, walking toward the kitchen. "The living room is right that way." Alex left the door open just long enough for Philip to slip in and find a spot to hide. He hid between the couch and the wall as Theodosia reappeared. The letter was tucked under her arm, still folded. Good. That could have ruined it.

She offered Alex a cup, which he gladly accepted. "What is that?" He asked, pointing to the window.

"What is what?" Theodosia made her way over to it, trying to see what Alex could be talking about.

"Oh, never mind. I just thought I had seen something. Go ahead, read the letter." Alex took a sip of his drink to hide the grin that was trying to take over his face.

Theodosia stayed by the window for better light as she unfolded the letter. She smiled softly, even when all she could see was the opening.

' _My Dearest Theodosia,_

 _I hope you have been doing well. From what I have been hearing, that is not quite the case. But I know you will keep smiling. That can brighten up even the darkest caverns. I hope you can stay cheerful knowing that I will be with you shortly. Sooner than you may think, actually._

Theodosia's smile widened as she read over the words. Philip crawled out from beside the couch.

 _There are some things I should tell you. Things I have been wanting to say for the longest time. I have just never found the right time to do so._

 _You are the best thing that life has ever blessed me with. Thank you for sticking with me, no matter how stupid the mistake or how large the flaw. Thank you for making me smile on the worst of days, pulling me up from the bottom when I have fallen, and for bestowing upon me a kind of love I never could have known existed.._

Theodosia's eyes teared up. She struggled to read on. Philip got on one knee, ring at the ready.

 _I want to be with you for as long I live. I want to marry you. I want to have a family with you. I may be over-expeditive at times, believe me, but I know that this love is true._

 _Will you marry me?'_

Theodosia gasped at the last line. As she tore her eyes from the piece of paper in her hands, she looked down to see Philip.

Philip took her hand. "Will you marry me, Theodosia?" She could only nod as the tears began to escape her eyes.

He smiled softly as he guided the ring onto her finger, then granted a kiss on her hand. He barely had time to stand before she nearly knocked him down in a hug. He wrapped his arms around her, inhaling the scent that he had missed so much.

"I missed you, beautiful," He whispered softly as he wiped away the tears under her eyes.

"I missed you too…" She buried her face in his neck. "If you ever run off on me like that again, Philip Hamilton, I swear that I will kill you myself."

"It will never happen again, my angel, I promise."

"Guys, this sweet and all," Alex announced loudly, "But could you save the affectionate displays for another room? It really is uncomfortable to watch."

As he received a dirty look from his older brother, he rose from his position on the couch. "Or I could leave, sorry. But you had better come home soon, or I will assume the worst and tell pa."

Alex made his way out the front door.

Philip sighed. "Siblings, huh? They really are something. Something I shouldn't say, but something nonetheless."

Theodosia smiled, planting a kiss on her fiancé's cheek. "You know, compared to how bad John and Louisa get, is Alex really that bad?"

Philip chuckled. "I have seven younger siblings, darling. I will gladly trade you."

"Okay, okay. You win."

"Alex is right, though, I need to get home. Can you come over for dinner tonight?"

"Of course." Theodosia bit her lip. "But what has you in such a hurry?"

"I just have a stop to make on the way." With that, Philip slipped his coat on and began on an all too familiar path.

* * *

"Gentlemen, get ready. It is time to go." General Hester woke them up at the crack of dawn.

The men scurried to get ready. "How bad do you think this will turn out?" Nathan whispered.

Julian shrugged. "It will not be good, I bet you that much."

And so they marched. And marched and marched and marched. The sun beat down on them as they arrived, panting and covered in sweat. The mixed scent of body odor and gunpowder was sickening.

They all stopped, only when instructed to do so, and began to catch their breath. General Hester pulled his gun out, aimed it at the sky, and fired.

As the ambush came, so did disaster.

* * *

 **A/N: Surprise, mes cygnes! Expect another chapter on Saturday!**


	29. Chapter 29

Philip pounded on the door. "Richard, you open this door right now. I know you are in there."

The door swung open. "What do you want, Philip?"

"What I want is to know what the hell you think you were doing!"

Richard rolled his eyes. "What _I_ was doing? What were _you_ doing? Running off and joining the military, leaving her behind. And all because I poked at your pride. What kind of lover are you?" He sneered. "Not one any decent wench would want to be with. But what was I supposed to expect from a girl like Theodosia?"

"What did you just say about Theodosia?" Philip growled. "You take that back right now."

"Or what? _What_ will you do, Philip? Write an angry poem about me? Get back to your books, schoolboy." Richard sneered.

"You know what, Dick? _Fight. Me._ " In that back of his mind, Philip knew he should probably calm down. Here he was, challenging people again. But the look on Richard's face continued to fuel the fire. "Sunday. Dawn. You know where."

"Ooh!" Richard heckled. "It looks like daddy's boy has become rather irritated. In all seriousness, Philip, I am not afraid of you. Nobody is."

" _In all seriousness, Richard_ , put your money where your mouth is." Philip nearly snarled at the other man. "I shall see you then."

Philip made his way toward the door, then had a second thought. For good measure, he turned back around and jabbed Richard right in his face. With that, he left the home of the man he had once considered a best friend.

As soon as he had hurried back to Theodosia's house, he knocked on the door.

"Back? Where did you go? Where did Alex go? I don't think I heard him say he was going home."

Theodosia shrugged. "He left earlier, did he not?"

"I thought I… Never mind. He will be fine. He's probably off doing something stupid."

"Good night, Philip."

With that, Philip pulled her close and kissed her. He stroked her hair softly as he whispered, " _Good night, good night. Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow_." ( The Tragedy of Romeo & Juliet, Act II Scene II.)

Theodosia giggled, pulling away. "Get out of here."

* * *

Theodosia woke up the next morning feeling groggy. There was a burning throb in her chest, she felt nauseous, and even her breasts were sore. She sighed as she got up, smiling only when her eyes went to the ring on her finger. It hadn't been a dream. Thank goodness.

As she dressed and came downstairs, she smiled as she saw Philip in the kitchen. Louisa had even gotten up early enough to make breakfast.

"And just like that, the beauty has risen. Good morning, my love."

Theodosia almost giggled. Giggled. Like a lovesick schoolgirl. She kissed his cheek. "Good morning, you corny sap."

"Theo, you be good to him. Very good. Keep him." Louisa smiled, scooping food onto three plates. "John is still asleep. He can get his own." She said, placing one in front of each of them.

"Where is dad?" Theodosia asked as she began to eat.

Her sister shrugged. "Work, I think. He has been there all night. He left at around eleven."

"Of course. Work. Like always."

Philip reached across the table to take his fiancée's hand. "Louisa, as amiable as our chat has been, may I talk to your sister in private for a moment?"

Louisa respected his wishes, leaving the room with her plate.

"Darling, I need to tell you something."

Theodosia bit her lip. Hearing that almost never signaled that a good thing was about to come. "Yes?"

"I have another duel soon."

Her eyes widened. "Philip, please. Please. Do not put me through that. Not again."

"I will be okay, darling."

" _No._ You said that last time and you got shot. You survived that. What if you do not end up being so lucky with this one?" Theodosia sighed. "Who are you dueling?"

"Richard."

"Philip, please. Let us just move on from that. He is not worth any more of our time."

"Love, you know how it is. I can't back out of it now. This will be over soon. We will get married, get our own house, have a family… And this will all be behind us."

* * *

"Rosaline…" Nathaniel smiled softly as his wife appeared at his bedside with a bundle of blankets cradled in her arms.

"Nathan… Are you going to be okay?" Rosaline asked, tears welled in her eyes.

"Don't cry, darling. How is our child?"

Rosaline said nothing, but put the baby in his arms.

As he cradled his daughter, seeing her for the first time, tears spilled out of his eyes. The pain from the wound in his shoulder disappeared.

"Annabelle..." He mumbled, kissing her forehead gently. "You really are adorable."

Rosaline sat on the edge of his bed, wiping the tears off of his cheeks.

"Am I interrupting?" Julian smiled softly, seeing his friend holding his daughter. The bandage that was wrapped around Nathan's shoulder seemed to be holding well enough.

"Not at all." Nathan gestured to the empty chair beside his bed. "Stay a few minutes."

"How are you feeling?" Julian inquired, taking said seat.

"Like I just got shot," Nathan chuckled, wiping the drool from Annabelle's face. "How about you?"

"A little bit beaten up, but I suppose I will live."

"Mr. Tindall?" The three adults in the room looked up as Dr. Parsons entered the room. "May I have another look at that?"

Julian took Annabelle from Nathan and handed the stirring child back to her mother. Rosaline took her baby and left the room, scared to see what was about to be exposed.

Julian stayed, taking hold of Nathan's hand. He couldn't look away as the bandage was stripped from his shoulder, revealing a greening mess. Pus began to ooze as soon as the bandage was removed, making both Julian and Nathan want to throw up. Well, Nathan probably would have. If he hadn't been so focused on squeezing Julian's hand. It still hurt badly.

"It… Is not looking very good right now, Mr. Tindall." The doctor sighed, getting rid of the now-soiled bandage and replacing it.

 **A/N: Surprise, mes cygnes, c'est tôt! Some of you in the reviews have some very good predictions.** **;)**


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: Two or so days later. A nice little Hamilton family dinner.**

"Philip, darling, you should have brought her around sooner. Theodosia is a lovely girl." Eliza smiled.

"Thank you, Mrs. Hamilton," Theodosia replied, then hesitated. She nervously continued, "Will your husband be joining us?"

"Eventually," Eliza sighed, "If he ever decides that he is done pouting in his room." She stood, carrying her plate with her to knock on the wooden door. "Alexander, our son and his lady are out here for dinner with us. Be polite, please."

"I was not pouting, love." Alexander stepped out of his room, rapidly rubbing at the newly-acquired ink stain on his sleeve. "And I am finished now."

As the family ate, an awkward silence began to take over. Occasionally, one of his siblings would say something. But it always returned to nothing.

"So, Philip," His father offered, desperately wanting some noise in the room. "What have you been up to since you got back?"

Philip looked at Theodosia, mouthing, 'Is it time to tell them?' When his fiancee nodded, he took her hand. "We actually have something to tell all of you."

Their small audience looked up. Alex grinned knowingly.

"We are engaged," Theodosia told them, smiling widely. Her contagious smile spread to the others as Eliza hurried over to her to demand to see the ring.

"Congratulations, son," Alexander said simply. "I am not thrilled about what family she comes from. _But_ , if you love her, then she is more than welcome to be a member of our family."

"Thank you, pa. Do you think you can get along with Aaron now? Especially after what Alex told me that he did?" Philip smiled softly, giving his father a hug. "Please? For me? You know, your favorite son."

"Well, I would not say that." Alexander smiled softly, patting Philip on the head. "I take it you two are going to be getting a house now?"

Philip nodded. "Soon. As soon as we can. We actually looked at one yesterday that we really liked. Listen, there is something that you should know… And I could really use some fatherly advice. Preferably better advice than what you told me to do last time with Eacker."

"That was fine advice," Alexander mumbled. Philip rolled his eyes. Some people never mature.

"It nearly got me _killed_ , pa. Anyways, I am going to be in another duel soon. Really soon. Sunday, actually… At dawn."

"You got my temper, that is for sure." Alexander sighed. "Did he say something about Theodosia?"

Philip went quiet for a moment, then admitted, "Yes. He did. He told me that I was a horrible lover and that he should expect such from a girl like her. I cannot let him talk like that and go scot free. Especially after what he did to her. That is unforgivable."

Alexander was about to say something else when there was a knock at the door. He hurried to answer it. He saw a man that he didn't know. "Excuse me, but who are y-"

The man looked right past him. "Philip! There you are!"

"Julian, you're okay! What… What happened? What are you doing here?" Philip went to the door.

"Nathan got shot." Julian grabbed Philip's wrist. "It really is bad. He wants you to be with him right now. I will explain more on the way."

Philip looked at Theodosia, who motioned for him to go on. "I will see you at home later. Go."

He followed Julian all the way to where Nathan was being kept. Nathan was on his bed, holding his infant daughter.

Philip couldn't help but notice the large bandage on his shoulder.

"Nathaniel…" He sat beside his bed.

Nathan looked up at him. "Hey, Philip… The doctor said it is getting worse. Whatever this is, it is spreading."

Philip could see this. There was a green hue spreading down the side of his torso.

The tears welling up in Nathan's eyes became obvious. He planted a soft kiss on Annabelle's forehead. "You are so beautiful, baby," He whispered, wiping his eyes. Rosaline took her when her husband's face began to pale.

As soon as the baby was removed from his arms, he leaned over the edge of the bed and threw up on the floor.

Philip's eyes widened as he saw the puddle on the floor. It was mostly made up of blood…

Nathaniel lied back on the bed, panting. Sweat was beginning to run down his face. He was declining healthy.

Rosaline kissed Nathan's forehead softly. Philip took his hand.

All three of the other adults talked to Nathan for a little while. His breathing began to get heavier. They didn't know how to take this.

Until it started to calm down… And stopped.

They were rushed out of the room. They stood, only awkwardly looking at one another. As Annabelle started to cry, Rosaline rocked her softly to shush her. Tears were streaming down her face.

The doctor exited the room. All three of them looked up.

Dr. Parsons sighed, shaking his head slowly. "I am so sorry for your loss, Mrs. Tindall."

As Rosaline began to shake, Philip took Annabelle. Julian wrapped his arms around her and held her close, allowing her to sob into his chest.

Philip came home last that night. His eyes were red and puffy from the tears he had allowed himself to shed. He went straight to bed without saying a word.

* * *

Julian came home even later. Despite Genevieve's cheery greeting and kiss welcoming him home, he couldn't spare a smile for long.

"Love, I know you really are not feeling the best right now… But can you take this outside right now?" Genevieve asked kindly, holding out a bag for him to take out.

He nodded and took it. As he made his way outside, he was stopped by none other than his neighbor.

"Julian, can I have a word with you?" Theodosia asked.

He only nodded, stopping and turning to talk to her.

"I have something that I need to tell Philip and… I don't know if he will take it well…" She bit her lip.

"What is it?"

"... I'm pregnant."


	31. Chapter 31

"Please, Philip, you really do not have to do this," Theodosia gave one last feeble attempt at pleading.

"Theodosia, go back to bed. It is too early for you to be up and worrying." Philip kissed her softly, bringing his hand up to rest on her still quite flat belly. "Especially with your condition." He had known that his soon-to-be wife was with child for a short time, but he could barely contain his excitement. Yes, he knew the baby would not be biologically his, but that of the sick freak that he had once regarded as a friend. But Philip was more than willing to raise the child with her. Nobody needed to know.

"How can I go back to bed knowing that you are going to be dueling? Philip, put yourself in my position." She sighed, taking his hand. "I cannot bear to think of losing you."

"Philip, are we ready?" Julian inquired as he approached the young couple, gun in hand. He smiled, though the dark circles underneath his eyes revealed his lack of sleep. Philip couldn't blame him. Ever since Nathaniel had died, he hadn't quite been himself either.

"Just leaving now," Philip gave her one last kiss. "Just stay here, actually. I do not want you walking out so late tonight, even though it seems as if you already have." He opened the front door for her. "Just go lie in my bed. My parents know that this is happening. They will not mind."

"Philip…"

"Please, love. Just go. I will be with you before lunchtime arrives."

"If you die in this, Philip Hamilton, I will kill you," She wiped her eyes.

"You have nothing to worry about, Miss Burr," Julian smiled softly, lightheartedly throwing an arm around Philip's shoulders. "I'll take care of him."

With that, Theodosia uneasily entered the house. She smiled softly as she looked around the dark living room. It brought a memory to her mind. A memory of when she and Philip had snuck into his house late at night. It seemed like that had been a million years ago. _And now look at us_ , she thought, _engaged and expecting a child._

As the men walked, the younger of the wiped his sweaty palms on his pants. "Should I really have done this?"

"Philip, you will be fine. As much as I want you to kill that monster, I doubt that will happen," Julian fiddled with his gun. "I will get you back to her, kid. If it is the last thing I do."

Philip rolled his eyes. _Kid_. He wasn't even much younger than Julian. The only other person who had ever called him that was Thomas Jefferson. He hadn't seen him in a while. _I wonder how he's been… Probably well. He is_ _the president_. Philip really wanted to distract himself.

They saw Richard waiting when he arrived. He was speaking in soft whispers to whom Philip assumed was his second. He didn't recognize him, but Richard did always have a group of friends that Philip had wanted nothing to do with.

"I wonder if _he_ laid his hands on Theodosia too…" Philip mumbled.

Julian patted his shoulder. "Let's get this over with, Philip. You have a lady to return to."

"I am well aware, Julian. She is all that is on my mind right now."

"You should not be dueling while distracted." The older man lightly punched his arm, hoping to lighten his mood a little bit. Pre-duel negotiations were tense.

Philip watched nervously as Julian and Richard's second attempted to talk it out. Well, Julian tried to talk of peace. Richard's man wanted no such deal.

As they got ready to duel, Philip really freaked out. Was he ready to do this? As much as he yearned for a bullet to be put through Richard, he wasn't sure he could be the one to pull the trigger.

As soon as the actual duel was set to happen, Richard's second ran off, claiming that he was going to get a doctor. Philip doubted it. They were supposed to have been the ones to bring a doctor in the first place.

Richard held the gun in his right hand, turning to shoot as soon as ten had been spoken. He had no problem pulling the trigger. Besides the burning pain that bit through his hand and he winced, throwing his aim way off. The bullet hit a tree that was a good two meters from Philip.

Julian smiled. _This is your chance, Philip, do it_ , He thought desperately. He was confused as he saw his friend, frozen as if he was afraid. "Philip…"

' _I cannot do it,'_ Philip mouthed. Richard was trying to regain himself, Really, he should have known better than to duel with the condition of his hand. Or, at least, to try to shoot with his right hand.

As Richard fired another failed shot, he got the bright idea to switch hands. Julian, as if he had been reading his mind, ran to Philip's side. He took the gun from the younger man, aimed, and shot, hitting Richard squarely in the chest.

As Richard fell to the ground, Julian took the gun from his hand. He unloaded both guns before tucking them under one of his arms. He grabbed the wrist of a shocked Philip and took him back to the Hamilton residence.

Philip knelt beside the bed, stroking a sleeping Theodosia's dark locks out of her face. He took her hand, kissing it and whispering, "Nobody will ever hurt you again." He kissed her belly before adding, "Either of you."

* * *

Julian walked home after dropping Philip off. The sun was still just barely rising. As he stepped inside of his house, he wrapped his arms around his waiting wife.

"Genevieve, darling, should you be up this early?" He whispered into her neck,

"Probably not… But I am." She smiled. "I was worried."

"Philip and I are just fine, darling. Just fine."

 **A/N: God, I hope you're satisfied. I tried to add some fluff there at the end with both couple. Sorry if I failed. But at least I'm on time.**


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: I've seen some questions floating around in the reviews, so I would like to clarify a few things for those of you who are confused. Firstly, Theo's baby is not biologically Philip's. It's Richard's. Look at Chapter 23 or so. They know this, but Philip wants to raise it as his own anyway. Secondly, what Juliet did in the last chapter is 100% illegal. But the only witness who would tell is dead. Richard's second, in case you couldn't tell, is kind of a crappy person. I know that's not how a duel would work, but I never meant for this story to be completely historically accurate. I probably screwed up a bunch of other things, too. Let it go. Lastly, this is going to be the last chapter. You are going to get a sort of 'so much later' chapter next week.**

 **Anyway, this is several weeks later.**

Philip smiled softly as he hung up the suit on the closet door. The suit for his wedding, which was set to take place the very next day. He couldn't believe it. He was marrying the most wonderful girl in the world in less than twenty-four hours. He looked around his new bedroom. The house, an early wedding gift from both his parents and Theodosia's father, had been a pleasant surprise to say the least. He had gotten moved in two days earlier. Theodosia would be joining him after the wedding.

He fell on the bed, thankful to have his own bedroom. He'd had to share with Alex as long as he could remember.

"Philip, get your butt down here." He smiled softly as he heard his friend's voice from downstairs. He must have let himself in.

Philip hurried downstairs. "What did they do?"

"They officially repealed the war." Julian smiled.

Philip sat across from Julian. "Too bad Nathaniel had to die before they thought of doing that."

Julian sighed. "What they did is not right in the least, but the sooner this country is out of war… the better."

Really, neither the United States nor England had been fighting for weeks. But the war wasn't officially over. _Until now_.

"We need to celebrate. Come on, you're getting married tomorrow. Let loose." Julian popped the cork off of a wine bottle. He poured two glasses and handed one to the younger man. "I know I needed a drink before my wedding."

"Wait… You were drunk at your wedding?" Philip took a sip.

Julian thought for a second. "Eh… maybe a little."

As Philip rolled his eyes, another knock on the door sounded. Philip got up, leaving his glass on the table, to answer it. "Alex, how are you?" He hugged his younger brother, leading him inside. "Does dad allow you to drink? Oh, well." He poured a glass of wine and gave it to him.

"Did you need something?" He asked as Alex gripped onto the stem of the glass.

"Do I have to need something to visit my dear brother?" Alex batted his eyelashes. "...Okay, I wanted to ask about a girl."

Philip smirked as Julian snorted. "Aww, my little brother has his eye on someone, hmm?" He asked, pinching Alex's cheek teasingly. "What's her name?"

"Olivia…" He mumbled, avoiding Philip's eyes.

"That girl from across the street? Miss Rowland?" Philip smiled. "Go get her. She will love you."

* * *

Theodosia panted softly as she sat on the couch, rubbing her slightly formed baby bump. Weddings were exhausting. And it hadn't even happened yet! She was starting to wish that she hadn't insisted that Philip let her handle the last minute preparations on her own. She was starting to miss his company, but she knew that wouldn't last long.

"Honey, are you ready for tomorrow?" Aaron appeared around the corner, giving his daughter a kiss on the forehead. "Everything is ready, correct?"

She only nodded. She was definitely excited, yes. She was thrilled to be marrying Philip. But such a change in her life was bound to come with some stress, especially with a child on the way.

* * *

The seats steadily began to fill in the church. Eliza ran amuck, making sure all of her children were where they needed to be, whether that was seated in the audience or ready to participate. Alexander stayed with his eldest son, attempting to calm his nerves. Aaron and Louisa helped Theodosia prepare.

As Louisa hurried out of the dressing room to find her own spot, Theodosia looked at her father. Aaron, who had tears welling up in his eyes, took her hand. "You look so beautiful, darling… Philip had better take care of you."

"He will, daddy, and you know it." Theodosia used her free hand to brush the last of her hair back and situate her veil to fall over her face.

Aaron kissed the back of Theodosia's hand, not knowing what to say. "I do not know if I really am ready to give you away… You're my little girl."

"I am not little." She smiled softly. "And you still have Louisa." She chuckled softly before adding, "And she has a fair while to go before she is in my place."

"Hey, be nice to your sister." Aaron chuckled, standing with Theodosia. He gave her hand a small squeeze as the bells began to ring, signifying that the ceremony was about to begin.

* * *

Philip carried his bride through the doorway of their home, setting her down only when they had reached their bedroom. He lied her on the bed, bending down to completely remove her veil and plant a gentle kiss on her lips.

He helped her out of her dress. Really, it seemed uncomfortable. He admired her for a moment, running his hands down her bare side and kissing her belly. "You really are beautiful, my love," He whispered, letting his hands wander to her hips.

Theodosia smiled, pulling him down to lie next to her. She pulled a nightgown over herself. "Don't get so excited, lover boy."

As a playful pout overtook Philip's face, Theodosia only laughed. She pushed off his suit jacket and let it fall to the ground. "Good night."

Philip wrapped his arms around her, holding her as close to his chest as he could. "Good night."


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: Last update, cygnes… Je vous aime.**

 **This is three or so years later.**

"Daddy, daddy! Catch me!"

Philip hurried over to the kitchen chair his son was jumping from. As he caught the giggling toddler, he gave the child a soft kiss on his cheek. "How many times have I told you not to do that? You could hurt yourself."

"I won't hurt myself! My daddy's strong and will catch me!"

Philip could only smile at that. He set him down on the floor. "Go wash up, Nathaniel. Your mother is surely cooking supper by now."

As Nathaniel scurried away, Philip caught sight of his wife in the kitchen doorway.

"Supper is finished, actually," Theodosia smiled, kissing her husband on the cheek. Her large stomach didn't let that be an easy task, however. "She has been kicking all day."

"'She'?" Philip inquired. "What makes you think it is a girl?"

"Just a feeling," She replied, placing three plates on the dining table. "How has work been?"

"Theo, you will never believe it. Mr. Jefferson wants me to be Secretary of the Treasury!" Philip grinned, watching as a smile appeared on his wife's face as well. He had gone into a political career just a year earlier, but his good rep with the president had gotten him moved up the ranks quickly. That, and he wasn't half bad at what he did. He enjoyed it and took his poetry on as a side job.

"Just like your father, hmm? I am sure he will be thrilled to hear."

Nathaniel climbed into his seat as Theodosia placed a healthy portion of pork on the young boy's plate before doing the same to the other two plates.

The family ate. Philip listened to his young son babble on as the noisy neighbors make a ruckus outside. Annoying, yes, but at least it stopped by a reasonable hour.

"Can Uncle Alex come over? Please?" Nathaniel asked, batting his big brown eyes at his father. "I haven't seen him in a long time!"

Really, it had only been a week since Philip's younger brother had come to visit. But Alex _was_ Nathaniel's favorite. "Maybe tomorrow, if he does not have things to do."

"Will he bring Aunt Olivia?" The young boy asked hopefully.

Theodosia chuckled, interjecting, "Possibly, Nathaniel. Now, it is time to go to bed. You didn't nap today."

"But I am not tired!" Nathan whined. "Momma…"

Philip smiled and picked the little boy up, spinning him around a few times. Nathan's laughter filled the house as Philip carried him upstairs to his bedroom.

"Momma said bedtime," He jokingly lectured, sitting the boy on his bed. "Do you know what happens to naughty little boys who do not listen to their mothers?"

"No, daddy!" Nathaniel didn't have much time to grovel before Philip tickled him, once again making his laughter ring out. He ended his attack with a raspberry on his stomach.

"Are you ready for bed?" Philip asked, tucking the panting toddler underneath the covers.

He lied next to him, letting the child lied near him for heat. He sighed as Nathaniel's eyes failed to flutter shut. "Nathan, have I ever told you about the time that I fought a dragon?"

The little boy looked up, interested. "You fought a dragon?"

Philip scoffed. "Fought it? No, I slayed it. I had it for breakfast the next day! I even saved your mother from it."

"Tell me, tell me, tell me!"

"Shh, we can't have momma knowing that we are not going to bed, now, can we?" He said, shushing Nathan.

"It all started when I was at a party. A ball, really. I met her there. Asked her to dance. Sadly, she had to go before too long," Philip started to wing it. He really should have thought that through. "As she hurried out of that building, I saw a massive shadow of a beast outside of the window. I was concerned for her, so I followed her into the forest she walked through.

"Before I could even see what happening, it had her. She was struggling under the grip of its claw. I, of course, did the only thing that I could do. I pulled my sword from its sheath on my hip. The dragon took this is a challenge. It bared its massive fangs at me. I ran toward it, narrowly avoiding its fiery breath.

"I stabbed it on its foot. That made it angry, but it dropped your mother. I caught her in my own arms. She kissed my cheek, thanking me over and over again. She called me her knight in shining armor." He could feel Nathan was getting bored with the romance aspect, so he changed gears.

"But the dragon was not ready to go on its way. It led out a hideous growl as it crawled closer to me. It left giant claw marks in the ground with every step. It leaned down, ready to eat me alive! I barely managed to put my sword up in time and stab the roof of its mouth. It bled profusely, covering me in dragon blood. But that kept the beast from biting down. It fell to the ground because of the pain and I jammed my sword into its eye. It died almost instantaneously."

Nathan's eyes were wide with awe and shock. Philip kissed the young boy's forehead.

"My daddy's a hero!"

Philip only chuckled. "Do you think you can go to bed now?"

Nathan nodded, allowing his father to turn off the oil lamp.

Philip gave his son one last kiss goodnight, then sneaked back down to the living room.

"It took you long enough to tuck him in," Theodosia smiled softly.

"You know kids," Philip gave a light chuckle, kissing her. "I think I will head to bed as well. Good night."

"Good night, love."

The next morning, a very hungry little boy sat at the breakfast table as his mother put some oatmeal in front of him and his father.

They said their thank yous and began to eat. Before they could even get halfway through eating, Nathan inquired, "Momma, is it true that daddy slayed a dragon and saved you?"

Theodosia put her spoon down, lightly smacking her husband's arm. "Seriously, Philip? Really?"

 **A/N: And that is the end of that. I have had a lot of fun writing this story and I hope you guys have had as much fun reading it. I want to start writing something else, so, if you have any requests, feel free to PM me or review.** :)


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